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Bob Iger’s first stop post Disney: The Metaverse

The former Disney CEO has joined the board of avatar company Genies.
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Genies

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If we’ve learned anything in the past year, it’s that if you haven’t heard from someone in three-plus months, they’re about to announce something involving the metaverse. Case in point: In his first career move since leaving the company, longtime Disney CEO Bob Iger has joined the board of directors of a startup focused on metaverse avatars.

The company, Genies, has raised $100 million in funding and, through deals with Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group, has created avatars for artists like Justin Bieber, Rihanna, and Shawn Mendes. Metaverse-heads like Iger can create their own avatars using the company’s tools and dress them in NFT clothing and accessories.

Iger was Disney’s CEO until February 2020, but stayed on as chairman through the pandemic, departing the company in December 2021.

Beyond really craving some Mason Ramsey gear for his digital persona, Iger told the WSJ that Genies appealed to him for its ability to use existing intellectual property in new ways.

"Imagine, you know, letting someone buy a Mickey Mouse avatar and customizing it in a way that not only would we never allow it before, but it was kind of hard to do in the physical world," Iger told WSJ.—MK

Become smarter in just 5 minutes

Morning Brew delivers quick and insightful updates about the business world every day of the week from Wall St. to Silicon Valley.