ThinkEquity's 1st Annual Games-as-a-Service Symposium

Panelists

Brian Balfour — Founder, Viximo

Brian is a serial entrepreneur and pioneer in the social networking and virtual goods industry. Brian is the founder of Viximo, the largest social game distribution platform beyond Facebook. Prior to founding Viximo, Brian managed new product initiatives at ZoomInfo, and was founder of multiple online community startups, including the first college specific social network in early 2003. In addition, as a founding member of Betahouse, a co-working space for technology entrepreneurs, and co-founder of PopSignal, one of Boston's largest professional networking organizations, Brian is actively contributing to the growth of Boston's technology startup scene. Brian holds Bachelor's degrees in Sports Business, Economics, and Applied Statistics from the University of Michigan.

Keith McCurdy

Keith McCurdy has over 20 years of experience in the digital media industry including mobile, internet, and video games. He was recently CEO and co-founder of Vivaty, a web based platform and online service for immersive, personalized, and easy to use 3D virtual avatars and virtual goods integrated with existing web communities. Vivaty's investors include KPCB and MDV and the company was recently sold to Microsoft. Previously Mr. McCurdy was CEO of Blaze Entertainment, a global mobile publisher distributing mobile games on 100 carriers worldwide. And previous to these ventures Mr. McCurdy was with Electronic Arts (EA) for 12 years, the leading interactive entertainment software company. Mr. McCurdy held several executive positions at EA including Vice President of Product Development, Vice President of Technology, and Vice President of Online. Mr. McCurdy founded EA's Online Division and drove the company's strategy and technology effort onto the Internet, including launching the industry's first MMOG. As Vice President of Technology at EA Mr. McCurdy played a key role in the company's M&A efforts, strategic relationships, and platform transition strategies. Mr. McCurdy is also currently a board director of Majesco, a family video games publisher (NASDAQ:COOL); SocioArts, a social game developer; Titan Gaming, a skill based gaming platform company; and CSRware, a SaaS sustainable energy management solution provider.

Chris Petrovic

Chris Petrovic serves as GM of GameStop Digital Ventures, the newly created digital strategy, M&A and incubation arm for GameStop Corp., the world's largest video game retailer. As a member of the company's senior management team, Petrovic serves as the principal leader of GameStop's global digital strategy. He is responsible for building on the company's ongoing efforts to integrate digital initiatives into the company's multi-channel strategy, as well as overseeing the development and execution of a digital investment and acquisition strategy. This includes leveraging the company's unique and distinctive relationship with customers in-store, online and around the globe.

Prior to GameStop, Petrovic served as VP, Digital Media for Playboy Enterprises. In this role, he was responsible for developing and managing digital-focused strategic and business development initiatives for all divisions the company, including online, mobile, TV, radio and publishing. Petrovic was also responsible for finding the next generation products and services and developing launch strategies for their successful global execution. This position places him at the leading-edge of new and future ideas and technologies as well as and new-media business models.

Before joining Playboy, Petrovic served as VP, Business Development for AG Interactive, a division of American Greetings. Petrovic oversaw all business development efforts across of the division's digital business units. Petrovic joined AG Interactive from theglobe.com, where he served as VP, Strategy and Business Development and was responsible for developing and growing the company's digital and print media businesses.

Petrovic is a graduate of Columbia University in New York and holds a J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles. He began his new media career as the CEO of Internet start-up BannerGreetings.com in 1998, and from there went on to become COO of Buzztone, a leading viral marketing agency, before joining the venture capital firm Prime Ventures, managing the business development and legal operations of its portfolio companies, including most notably drkoop.com.

Petrovic and GameStop Digital Ventures are based in El Segundo, California.