SEATTLE, May 24, 2023
/PRNewswire/ -- RealNetworks today officially announced the
appointment of Chris Wheaton as
President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer.
Chris joined Real in March and has spent the past three months
learning about Real and its diverse, primarily AI-based businesses.
Real's focus on AI-based innovation will be
greatly enhanced by Chris Wheaton's
lucidity and steady hands.
Additionally, Real announced that Michael Parham, SVP and General Counsel, will
depart on June 30, 2023 after a 20+
year career with the Company. For the past ten years, Michael has
served as RealNetworks' General Counsel, most recently leading Real
through its transition to private ownership under Real's founder
and CEO Rob Glaser.
Going forward, all of Real's central G&A functions –
Finance, IT, HR, and Legal, will now report directly to
Chris Wheaton. Chris and Rob will
partner with Real's four division leaders who lead and operate each
of the Real Group's independent businesses.
"I'm excited for Chris to join Real's leadership team," said
Rob Glaser, founder and CEO of Real.
"As we fully implement a leaner, faster-moving, and more
decentralized operating plan, Chris is the perfect person to
partner with me and the rest of Real's senior leadership
team. Our focus on AI-based innovation will be greatly
enhanced by Chris's lucidity and steady hands."
"At the same time, I want to express my deep gratitude to
Michael Parham for the spectacular
work he has performed for over 20 years," Glaser continued.
"Michael has been a crucial part of Real's leadership team for many
years and is one of the finest executives I've ever worked
with. I'm grateful that he will continue to advise me and
help lead the RealNetworks Foundation going forward."
"RealNetworks is at a uniquely exciting moment in its long and
important history," said Chris
Wheaton. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to join Rob and
the team to chart the next stage of the company's growth. We're
well positioned to bring a new and valuable generation of
RealNetworks products to market and I very much look forward to
helping make those efforts successful."
"I am proud of the work that we have been able to accomplish
during my tenure as General Counsel. After leading the process of
taking the company private and charting a path for future success,
I believe that now is the right time for me to explore a new
challenge," said Michael Parham. "I
have greatly enjoyed working with the team at RealNetworks
including my colleagues and former directors. Rob has been an
exceptional mentor and friend. I deeply appreciate the
support of my leadership roles in civic organizations, including
serving as a co-founder of the Black Boardroom Initiative to help
diversify corporate boards. I am excited to continue my long
partnership with the Company by serving on the board of the
RealNetworks Foundation following my departure."
Chris Wheaton comes to Real in an
exciting period, just after the Company has returned to private
ownership. His background in leading, funding, and growing diverse
enterprises during times of significant change make him ideally
suited to serve in such important executive roles at RealNetworks.
Most recently, Chris spent four years as Chief Operating &
Financial Officer at Bsquare Corporation, where he reversed the
financial trajectory of the organization while instilling a more
entrepreneurial and nimble corporate culture. Chris brings
extensive executive experience to Real, having served as COO and
CFO at a number of diverse organizations, including EnerG2
Technologies and Pacific Science Center in Seattle. He is a board member of PEMCO Mutual
Insurance Company, and holds an MBA from Stanford's Graduate School of Business.
About RealNetworks
Building on a rich history of
digital media expertise and innovation, RealNetworks has created a
new generation of products that employ best-in-class artificial
intelligence and machine learning to enhance and secure our daily
lives. Real's portfolio includes: SAFR, the world's premier
computer vision platform for live video; KONTXT, an industry
leading NLP (Natural Language Processing) platform for text and
multimedia analysis; and GameHouse, a mobile games business
focused on making great games for women. For information
about all of our products, visit www.realnetworks.com.
RealNetworks is a registered trademark of RealNetworks, Inc.
All other trademarks, names of actual companies and products
mentioned herein are the property of their respective
owners.
Media Contact:
Lisa Amore of AMORE PR for
RealNetworks. lisa@amorepr.com; 206-954-8006
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SOURCE RealNetworks, Inc.