Innovator
A Visionary and an Inspiration
“Robert is truly a visionary and an inspiration. He has a gift for always being one - step ahead of the pack. Follow Robert's lead and you follow the future. I look forward to collaborating with Robert again.”
Brian Selzer
President & Co - Founder
Ogmento, inc.
BIOGRAPHY
Robert Tercek is a global authority on the process of dematerialization and digital innovation. He is an award-winning author, entrepreneur, and educator. He is highly sought as a keynote speaker at international conferences, and he is the co-host of the Futurists podcast.
Tercek is the founder and CEO of General Creativity, a strategic advisory firm specializing in digital transformation and long-term planning. Previously, he served in senior executive leadership at motion picture studios, television networks, and software companies, where he supervised the launch of pioneering digital services that are now used by hundreds of millions of people every day.
In 2021, Mr. Tercek was recognized as the Humanitarian of the Year by the Media Excellence Awards for his leadership in designing and launching COVID SMART™, an interactive training program designed to keep workers safe on the job during the pandemic.
Career Highlights
Tercek’s book “VAPORIZED: Solid Strategies for Success in a Dematerialized World” was selected as the 2016 International Book of the Year at the Frankfurt Book Fair by the editors of GetAbstract from a field of 10,000 business titles.
The publication of VAPORIZED established Tercek as an authority on the process of dematerialization into software. Today the process he identified as “vaporization” continues to transform nearly every industry.
In the media industry, where dematerialization began, Tercek has long been recognized as a thought leader. He served as President of Digital Media for Oprah Winfrey and the OWN Network. Previously, he was Sony Pictures Entertainment’s first Senior Vice President of Digital Media, where he supervised the launch of a series of hugely successful online games. Earlier in his career, he was a creative director at MTV: Music Television. While there, Tercek launched the pop culture network in more than 20 nations.
He was featured as one of the “25 Executives to Watch” by Digital Media Wire. Variety named him one of the “Digital Dozen” most influential players in new media. The Industry Standard dubbed him the “TV Anarchist”.
Tercek’s 30-year career is marked by achievements in media, including the design and launch of several digital media services that are now used by hundreds of millions of people:
- The launch of the first multichannel satellite television service in Asia at MTV Asia and STAR TV in 1991
- The first generation of games for multimedia PCs as a co-founder of 7th Level in 1993.
- The first multiplayer Java games on the World Wide Web, including Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Trivial Pursuit, and the Dating Game at Sony in 1997.
- The world’s first streaming video service on mobile phones for PacketVideo and NTT DoCoMo’s V-Live and 30 other mobile networks, in 2001.
- The first mobile app store in North America launched by Mforma for AT&T Wireless in 2003.
- The largest live audience for online education with Oprah Winfrey’s 2009 “Live Your Best Life” webcasts.
- The most popular free book download in history for Suze Orman on Oprah.com in 2009.
Inventions
Robert is a prolific inventor with deep expertise in patent strategy and intellectual property management. He is the co-author of several patents granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office including the following that pertain to decentralized systems for entertainment, blockchain gaming and cryptocurrency:
11,410,039 Architectures, systems and methods having segregated secure and public functions
11,120,335 Architectures, systems and methods having segregated secure and public functions
11,042,801 Architectures, systems and methods for program defined state system
10,776,696 Architectures, systems and methods having segregated secure and public functions
10,713,564 Architectures, systems and methods for program defined state system
10,489,709 Architectures, systems and methods having segregated secure functions and public functions
10,445,643 Architectures, systems and methods for program defined state system
What they say about Robert
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HIS WORK REDEFINED TV
The label 'creative' has become so commonplace that it's lost its impact, but Robert is the real deal: his spark electrified every project at MTV. There were awards & accolades, but for me, the greatest accomplishment is how his work redefined the way TV was presented in Asia and opened the eyes of an Asian generation of 3 billion when satellite TV first beamed across Asia in 1991.
Kenn Delbridge
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HE IS A GREAT SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
I trust Rob Tercek and his firm, General Creativity, and I would recommend him to every board of directors and leadership team that can benefit from an independent external expert opinion to shape priorities in digital strategy and planning. His enthusiasm is infectious, and he is a great source of inspiration.
Jeff Sotzing
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We Got Excellent ROI From Our Work With Rob
I strongly recommend Robert Tercek of General Creativity to any organization that is preparing for big changes. He can engage with your leadership team to address major changes and challenges. He offers incisive strategic thinking and a unique ability to express complex ideas in plain language. I believe that Rob can help any company deeply examine the scope, scale and pace of digital transformation.
John Riccitiello
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Spontaneous Applause From the Floor
Robert Tercek ranks among the very best speakers I’ve ever encountered. His speeches on the topics of innovation and creativity have influenced industry leaders in many parts of the world. Mr Tercek is an electrifying public speaker. His passion for the subject matter is infectious. Several times his comments were punctuated by spontaneous applause from the floor.
John Kilcullen
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