Three months after Bob Iger resigned as the CEO of Walt Disney Company, the 71-year-old joins the board of Genies, a Los Angeles-based startup used by celebrities and others to generate NFT avatars in the metaverse. As stated by the Wall Street Journal, Bob lger has invested in the company as well.
“I have always been drawn to the crossroads between tech and art, and Genies offers special and exciting opportunities to restrain the power of this combination to activate new forms of innovation, expression and communication,” Bob Iger mentioned in a statement.
Bob Iger spent about 50 years at Disney, and 15 years as CEO before retiring in 2020. He also worked as Disney’s chairman or executive chairman for ten years, until he was replaced by Susan Arnold, the initial woman to be appointed as board of directors in Disney. During his Disney tenure, Iger 98-year history oversaw the acquisition of Marvel Entertainment and Lucasfilm, plus the release of the Disney + Web streaming platform.
Genies, that has so far raised $100 million from investors like Mary Meeker’s Bond, NEA and Breyer Capital, is part of Web3’s growing segment, which includes companies concentrated on the metaverse, NFTs, and cryptocurrencies.
Genies CEO Akash Nigam mentioned that Bob Iger will be an asset to the company.
“Our vision is aspiring and big. And it will continuously demand the sharpest, most brilliant mind share in the world to help to bring it to life”.
The company is the “official avatar and digital goods NFT provider” for Universal Music Group and Warner Music, and stated that it has generated avatars for musicians like Justin Bieber, Migos, Cardi B and J. Balvin. Besides, the company runs an NFT marketplace called “The Warehouse”.
