He was part of the original team listed as the CEO (on the 3/19/14 About Us - The first uploaded version). It appears it is another bridge that the current team has mended.
Chris earned a degree in International Marketing from Santa Clara University, graduating cum laude in three years, then worked at an advertising agency in Paris. Next, in Tokyo, Chris completed graduate studies then joined the entertainment arm of Sony in Tokyo for 8 years where he started new businesses including the first online gaming site in Japan, and assisted the initial PlayStation efforts. He speaks, reads and writes Japanese fluently. In his free time, he coded and operated the first fantasy baseball game in Japan. After Sony, he was an early employee of IRI, a company key in building the Japanese Internet and mobile internet infrastructure. He managed IRI’s successful IPO and the company reached a $10B market cap. His next role was to handle strategic venture investing for IRI which led to him establishing and leading IRI USA. He went on to co-manage AvTech Ventures, a $150M portfolio of venture investments which achieved top decile returns. After AvTech, Chris assisted several startups in various roles from Chairman to CEO including JP SCOPE, HydroLogic and Riava. He also assisted MMO developer Sigil with its sale to Sony Online Entertainment.
Happily married for twenty years, he’s the proud father of a daughter in college and a teenage son. He enjoys online gaming, new technology, travel, camping, is an avid runner, cyclist and open water swimmer, and escapes by taking family hikes with his two dogs.
Yeah, so Chris would be here, so that Brad doesn't sell his soul again to investors, and make sure Pantheon has the quality rubber band, to slingshot it's trajectory into a stable orbit...
If so, I think this is good info/news.
Raidan said:Chris Rowan (Kuripan)– CEO
Chris earned a degree in International Marketing from Santa Clara University, graduating cum laude in three years, then worked at an advertising agency in Paris. Next, in Tokyo, Chris completed graduate studies then joined the entertainment arm of Sony in Tokyo for 8 years where he started new businesses including the first online gaming site in Japan, and assisted the initial PlayStation efforts. He speaks, reads and writes Japanese fluently. In his free time, he coded and operated the first fantasy baseball game in Japan. After Sony, he was an early employee of IRI, a company key in building the Japanese Internet and mobile internet infrastructure. He managed IRI’s successful IPO and the company reached a $10B market cap. His next role was to handle strategic venture investing for IRI which led to him establishing and leading IRI USA. He went on to co-manage AvTech Ventures, a $150M portfolio of venture investments which achieved top decile returns. After AvTech, Chris assisted several startups in various roles from Chairman to CEO including JP SCOPE, HydroLogic and Riava. He also assisted MMO developer Sigil with its sale to Sony Online Entertainment.
Happily married for twenty years, he’s the proud father of a daughter in college and a teenage son. He enjoys online gaming, new technology, travel, camping, is an avid runner, cyclist and open water swimmer, and escapes by taking family hikes with his two dogs.
My gawd, what an amazing career and credentials. Guys like this make me feel very very unimportant, ha. I'm in awe at all the things Chris has done and been a part of. AMAZING!
Raidan said:
He was part of the original team listed as the CEO (on the 3/19/14 About Us - The first uploaded version). It appears it is another bridge that the current team has mended.
Chris Rowan (Kuripan)– CEO
Chris earned a degree in International Marketing from Santa Clara University, graduating cum laude in three years, then worked at an advertising agency in Paris. Next, in Tokyo, Chris completed graduate studies then joined the entertainment arm of Sony in Tokyo for 8 years where he started new businesses including the first online gaming site in Japan, and assisted the initial PlayStation efforts. He speaks, reads and writes Japanese fluently. In his free time, he coded and operated the first fantasy baseball game in Japan. After Sony, he was an early employee of IRI, a company key in building the Japanese Internet and mobile internet infrastructure. He managed IRI’s successful IPO and the company reached a $10B market cap. His next role was to handle strategic venture investing for IRI which led to him establishing and leading IRI USA. He went on to co-manage AvTech Ventures, a $150M portfolio of venture investments which achieved top decile returns. After AvTech, Chris assisted several startups in various roles from Chairman to CEO including JP SCOPE, HydroLogic and Riava. He also assisted MMO developer Sigil with its sale to Sony Online Entertainment.
Happily married for twenty years, he’s the proud father of a daughter in college and a teenage son. He enjoys online gaming, new technology, travel, camping, is an avid runner, cyclist and open water swimmer, and escapes by taking family hikes with his two dogs.
oohh we have a CEO...right on. All the missing pieces are coming together. Thanks for the info. :)
Joppa said:
I had the immense privilege of spending a few days with Chris in person last week. I was marked deeply by my time with him - I've never been more excited about Pantheon's future and I've never felt our team in better hands.
It is good to finally hear all these positives, after all the negatives this site and fans went through over the months. Good on you guys...good work, good progress! :)
Hello everyone! Chris here. Thanks for the warm welcome. My current role is Chairman (of the Board). I'm here to simply do what it takes behind the scenes to allow Brad and this amazing team to, without distraction, focus on what they do best: with your help and input, build an amazing, immersive, challenging online world and bring back some magic to MMORPGs. Looking forward to getting to know you better and hearing your input on Pantheon!
Anasyn said:
Chris how often do you visit Japan? Do you have family from Japan?
Hi Anasyn -
I don't visit Japan as often as I'd like, but at least three or four times a year these days. My mother in law lives in Japan.
Sogotp said:
As the title states I am wondering who Chris Rowan is... In the wiki it says he is chairman, chairman of VRI? Project Chairman? Chairman of Development?
Not Chairman of the Universe? OK, just Chairman of the Board. Oh well. ;-)
Nah, I already know who the chairman of the Universe is.. Although I am really glad to know that VRI has a CoB/CoE.. I am also really impressed with you creditenials. This might explain why things have gone more quiet on some fronts so the focus can be shifted to more important things :) Welcome aboard and if I or the community can help in any way just let us know..
Kuripan said:
Hello everyone! Chris here. Thanks for the warm welcome. My current role is Chairman (of the Board). I'm here to simply do what it takes behind the scenes to allow Brad and this amazing team to, without distraction, focus on what they do best: with your help and input, build an amazing, immersive, challenging online world and bring back some magic to MMORPGs. Looking forward to getting to know you better and hearing your input on Pantheon!
Hello Kuripan - it is pleasure to see you here on the forums. Welcome!
Zarriya said:
Kuripan said:
Hello everyone! Chris here. Thanks for the warm welcome. My current role is Chairman (of the Board). I'm here to simply do what it takes behind the scenes to allow Brad and this amazing team to, without distraction, focus on what they do best: with your help and input, build an amazing, immersive, challenging online world and bring back some magic to MMORPGs. Looking forward to getting to know you better and hearing your input on Pantheon!
Hello Kuripan - it is pleasure to see you here on the forums. Welcome!
This^
Kuripan said:
Hello everyone! Chris here. Thanks for the warm welcome. My current role is Chairman (of the Board). I'm here to simply do what it takes behind the scenes to allow Brad and this amazing team to, without distraction, focus on what they do best: with your help and input, build an amazing, immersive, challenging online world and bring back some magic to MMORPGs. Looking forward to getting to know you better and hearing your input on Pantheon!
This may be the best thing I have read on this forum the entire time. The importance of this cannot be overstated. Get that message out. It will ease some troubled minds.
Haseno said:
His credentials are indeed impressive. But, I'm more-so curious to hear his favorite games (specifically MMORPG's), and why he's attracted to Pantheon as a project.
Zork, UO, EQ, VG, BF2 and Warbirds. Especially VG - was in that game from very early on and the experiences I had there and the places I visited seared memories into my mind that get jumbled with reality sometimes. Pantheon aims to be immersive enough to blur that line where a game starts to become an alternate reality and creates real lasting memories - of places, battles, that time someone saved you, that time... Playing a part in bringing that to life excites me.
Kuripan said:
Haseno said:
His credentials are indeed impressive. But, I'm more-so curious to hear his favorite games (specifically MMORPG's), and why he's attracted to Pantheon as a project.
Zork, UO, EQ, VG, BF2 and Warbirds. Especially VG - was in that game from very early on and the experiences I had there and the places I visited seared memories into my mind that get jumbled with reality sometimes. Pantheon aims to be immersive enough to blur that line where a game starts to become an alternate reality and creates real lasting memories - of places, battles, that time someone saved you, that time... Playing a part in bringing that to life excites me.
Almost sounds like we could have been in the same guild or circle of friends with that game lineup. Haha. EQ drastically changed my life. But, Vanguard i have a special place in my heart for. Vanguard is when I fully realized the potential of Brad's vision. I attempted to observe VG from a developers perspective. After some time, i understood bits and pieces of what Brad saw. I couldn't stop daydreaming about it. I'd go to work and end up slacking because my mind was in New Telon. And creating memories is the best part of any game, doesn't matter what it is! How "gripping" those memories are is what matters to me. That's what EQ and VG offered me, more than just memories, but memories that literally "gripped" you.
I'm ready for a new world to call home, and I hope you're attracted to a Pantheon because you truly are as well.
