Chris Halton
I turn emerging technology, especially AI, into products that ship and earn.
Twenty-five years of building platforms at CNBC, the NBA and Verizon. I work where technology meets strategy: AI products, network APIs, and the live media and sports systems that run on them.
VP Technology, CNBC
US 12,557,003 B2
One league, five stages, built end to end
From the camera in the arena to the licensee anywhere in the world, I ran the platforms at every stage. Each one fed the next.
A dedicated high-speed network linking every arena to league headquarters, carrying video, timecode and statistics.
A rebuilt statistical system delivering faster, more accurate game data to the league and its licensees.
Centralized replay operations handling multiple games at once, with video angles transported from every arena.
The league archive, rebuilt around one interface for metadata entry and retrieval.
Multicast live feeds reaching licensees around the world, at broadcast quality and low latency.
From network capability to new products
In telecom I turned network capabilities into new product lines: open APIs, trust and security services, AI infrastructure and automated customer onboarding.
Led product strategy for opening network capabilities to developers and enterprises, in collaboration with carriers around the world.
Built security and anti-fraud products on network intelligence for enterprise customers.
Defined the strategy for turning network infrastructure into AI capacity, working with leading cloud and chip partners.
Delivered conversational AI that onboards and configures service for business customers, reducing manual support work.
Products that shipped, with the numbers attached
- AI products. Led patent-pending, AI-embedded products and the agents and APIs behind them.
- Team and output. Led senior directors across consumer, enterprise, sports and media, advanced technology and network APIs, delivering multiple new products a year.
- Strategic partnerships. Built alliances with leading chip, cloud and infrastructure providers to bring AI capabilities to market.
- Sports and media. Partnered with major leagues and federations on 5G-enabled fan engagement and officiating technology.
- Innovation program. Launched an enterprise accelerator with phased reviews, executive pitches and funding for winners.
- Venture scouting. Worked with the venture and startup community to source and evaluate early-stage technology.
VP, Media Distribution
- NBA Content Network. A cloud-based B2B platform with self-service APIs and rights management, serving global licensees, teams and partners.
- Statistical system. Launched the official league-wide statistics system with a multicast data platform serving global licensees.
- Distribution. Built the global distribution center and the co-location strategy behind live game licensing.
- Scope. Directed enterprise technology, content acquisition, replay and archive teams.
- First B2B API licensing. Built CNBC's first licensing services for financial news, market data, video and analytics, opening a new platform business line.
- Market data. Engineered a high-throughput market data platform for feeds and on-air graphics.
- Scale. Led technology for the application portfolio across CNBC.com, mobile, connected TV and on-air graphics.
- Newsroom of the future. Desktop self-service tools built into news workflows, letting producers create real-time graphics, order satellite feeds, book guests and more.
- Process. Six Sigma Black Belt, earned through GE's program while at NBC.
Where I can help
I take on a small number of engagements at a time, from a focused advisory arrangement to hands-on product leadership.
AI product strategy
From proof of concept to unit economics to launch. Requirements, build-or-partner decisions and the revenue case.
Network APIs and telecom platforms
Developer programs, partner distribution and turning network capabilities into products customers adopt.
Sports and media technology
Live production, data capture, replay, archives and licensing platforms for leagues, broadcasters and rights holders.
Partnerships and go-to-market
Alliances with chip, cloud and carrier partners, and the commercial model that makes them pay.
Innovation operating model
An agreed process for choosing which concepts reach commercialization, and accelerator programs that feed it.
Startup and venture scouting
Evaluating early-stage technology for adoption and building a pipeline of emerging capabilities.
Three ways to work together
Ongoing advisor
Regular access for a product or technology leadership team: roadmap reviews, partner introductions and a second opinion on build-or-buy decisions.
Focused engagement
A defined piece of work with a clear deliverable, such as an AI product strategy, a partnership model or an innovation process.
Hands-on leadership
Leading a product or technology organization through a transition, a launch or a gap in leadership.
Hear it directly
On the record
Have a product problem worth solving?
Send a short note with the problem, the timeline and who is involved. I will reply with whether and how I can help.