Drew Wilson
Cesar Fernandez is joining the sports-betting company FanDuel in a national role where he will be overseeing state government relations.
Fernandez is a familiar face in the government relations world, especially at its intersection with the tech sector. The 2015 “30-under-30 rising stars” honoree has a resume that includes four years on Uber’s in-house lobbying team. At Uber, Fernandez was instrumental in the passage of the landmark statewide ridesharing regulation bill during the 2017 Legislative Session.
He later joined lobbying firm Converge Government Affairs, working his way up to partner while representing a tech company roster that included Zillow, Nuro, Cruise, Blockchain.com, Lilium, REEF, Revel, Spin and Vivid Seats, among others.
Fernandez most recently worked as the public affairs lead for Pacaso, a proptech company that facilitates the co-ownership of second homes by setting up property-specific LLCs for multiple people who aspire to own a second home. At Pacaso, Fernandez oversaw several markets across the U.S.
Before entering the lobbying world, Fernandez worked on several campaigns. Though he is a lifelong Democrat, he has developed close working relationships with some of Florida’s top Republican lawmakers.
Now, the public policy wunderkind brings his talents to FanDuel, and will once again be taking a multi-state focus.
FanDuel is best known for its fantasy sports offerings, including the advent of one-day fantasy sports for cash prizes. After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018, FanDuel quickly became the market leader in mobile sports betting.
“We’re delighted to have Cesar join our team,” said Katie Peters, FanDuel’s Senior Vice President for Public Policy. “His experience and relationships throughout the country will be integral to our efforts moving forward.”
