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    Bio

    Charlie Fink writes a weekly technology column for Forbes covering AI and XR, and co-hosts its companion show, The AI/XR Podcast. He is the author of the critically acclaimed AR-enabled books Charlie Fink’s Metaverse (2017) and Convergence: How the World Will Be Painted With Data (2019). Fink teaches emerging media at Chapman University in Orange, CA, and at Arizona State University’s graduate program in Narrative and Emerging Media in Los Angeles. He is also CEO of Sprocketdyne, an AI animation studio he co-founded with film director Rob Minkoff.


    Fink's forty-year career at the intersection of storytelling and technology began at Walt Disney Feature Animation, where he famously conceived the idea for The Lion King and subsequently became the studio’s youngest-ever vice president of creative affairs.


    Fink's work in immersive technology began in 1992 as COO of Virtual World Entertainment, a groundbreaking location-based VR company founded by Tim Disney. In 1995, he was recruited by AOL to serve as Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer of AOL Studios. After selling his subsequent venture-backed startup, eAgents, to American Greetings Interactive, Fink served as their President and chief Creative Officer (2000–2004), acquiring its two biggest competitors, Blue Mountain and eGreetings.


    Fink spent a decade as Producer and Chairman of the New York Musical Festival, which nurtured Broadway hits "Title of Show," "Next to Normal," and "Guttenberg!"

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  • Bio

    Consultant, Columnist, Author, Producer, Podcaster, and Adjunct, covering AI, XR, and the Metaverse for Forbes

    Charlie Fink covers VR & AR for Forbes and teaches XR at Chapman University's Dodge Film School in Orange, CA. He is the author of Remote Collaboration, Virtual Conferences, The Future of Work (2020) and the AR-enabled books, Convergence, or How The World Will Be Painted With Data (2019), and Charlie Fink's Metaverse, An AR Enabled Guide to VR & AR (2017). One reads an AR book with a smartphone in their hand, where images, animation and video can literally pop out of the pages. His resume features the following experience.

     

    Founder/CEO, Charlie Company, LLC (2004-2014) A digital marketing agency specializing in integrated lifestyle marketing campaigns for global brands, startups, and non-profits leveraging SEM, SEO, social, apps, content creation, viral, guerrilla and experiential channels; created & launched "The Other 98%" which now has 5M Facebook followers (for client Moveon.org).

     

    President, American Greetings Interactive (2000-2004) drove transformation of e-card category from free to paid through aggressive consolidation strategy, scaling the first successful freemium model on the web to 4M+ paying monthly subscribers

     

    Founder/CEO, eAgents (1999-2000) Founded venture-backed e-news publisher, subsequently sold to American Greetings Interactive

     

    SVP, Chief Creative Officer, AOL Studios (1995-1999) Created some of the most successful web brands of the early Internet, including Motley Fool, Love@AOL (sold to Match.com), Real Fans Sports Network (sold to ESPN), Electra (sold to Oxygen Media), and others

     

    Chief Operating Officer, Virtual World Entertainment (Disney-owned VR pioneer) (1992-1995) Developed Battletech Universe, the first VR cockpit simulator, opening and operating 12+ gaming venues, subsequently sold to Microsoft

     

    VP, Creative Development and Production, Walt Disney Pictures (1985-1992) Originated concept and supervised development of “Lion King” as well as many other major motion pictures from Disney Animation’s second “Golden Age” including “Aladdin” & “Beauty and the Beast”

     

    Producer of over 30 award-winning off-Broadway shows, festival productions, and documentary features between 2004 and 2017.

     

    Chairman, New York Musical Festival: Best known as incubator of Broadway hits “Next to Normal” & “Title of Show” (2007-2017)