DARYL HOLT

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER, EA TIBURON STUDIOS AND AMERICAN FOOTBALL, ELECTRONIC ARTS, ORLANDO

With more than 13,000 employees worldwide, including 1,000 in Florida, Electronic Arts develops games, content and online services for internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers. Holt has been with EA for 20 years. Under his leadership, the company has partnered with state universities on talent development initiatives, including scholarships to promote industry inclusion of underrepresented talent. “Developing talent is the lifeblood of a company and industry,” Holt says.

EDUCATION: Stetson University (BBA)

FIRST JOB: My first job was typing and typesetting for Lee County Public Schools in Fort Myers during the summer in my high school years to prepare lesson plans, handouts and other materials for the upcoming school year.

HOBBY: I have been collecting soundtrack scores since 1977, when John Williams’ score for Star Wars inspired me to buy a double album of it. I have amassed so many now that I can pull up a score for any occasion, any project and any work to be done.

INDUSTRY TREND: Video games are becoming more social and self-expressive. When combined with technological advancements in AI/ML, I believe the most notable trend will be the development of massive online communities where interactive content will be created by professionals and players, ushering in a new era of storytelling, exploration and entertainment. The future of entertainment is interactive.

DREAM ALTERNATE CAREER
“I would be a Disney Imagineer.”