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Artifact Labs names Phillip Pon as new CEO to drive Web3 adoption amongst global brands, cultural institutions and intellectual property holders

 

Artifact Labs, a leading Web3 and NFT company based in Hong Kong, today announced the appointment of Phillip Pon as CEO. Pon, who brings a wealth of experience in the blockchain industry, will take over for Gary Liu who moves onto the company’s Board as Founder and Director. With Pon’s hiring, Artifact Labs will accelerate its mission to ‘Preserve and Connect History’ on the blockchain, and the company remains committed to helping organizations embrace Web3 technologies.

Pon was previously the Group Chief Operating Officer for BC Technology Group and President of OSL (HK stock code: 0863), a publicly traded digital asset company. In that role, he led day-to-day operations and helped the pioneering crypto trading platform become Hong Kong’s first regulated token exchange.  Previously, Pon also served as Chief Operating Officer of Lumenix, a global energy services company, and was long-time senior executive at Gerson Lehrman Group across Asia and Europe.

Liu, who will continue to work with Artifact Labs partners and support key projects, said, “I am ecstatic that someone with Phillip’s expertise will guide the future of the company. He brings a deep understanding of how blockchain technology can revolutionize traditional markets, and how digital assets can serve a new generation of consumers. I am proud of what we have achieved at Artifact Labs, and I look forward to seeing Phillip lead the company to even greater impact.”

Pon said, “I am thrilled to join Artifact Labs as CEO. Artifact Labs is dedicated to helping brands, cultural institutions and other intellectual property rights holders design and execute a strategy to enter Web3 with confidence and with measurable returns. We are keen to support those ambitions and I am excited to drive this mission forward with our talented team.”

In January, Artifact Labs announced its partnership with celebrated Hong Kong retailer Goods of Desire (G.O.D.) to launch “請: The Invitation” (pronounced cing2 in Cantonese), an NFT project and community for rediscovering Hong Kong through exclusive and reality-bending events, and engagements with the city’s most unique characters, all while preserving Hong Kong’s most significant historical assets on the blockchain. Artifact Labs will also debut the world’s first Metaverse Symphony in May of 2023, in partnership with the world-renowned Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.

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Artifact Labs to Launch World’s First Metaverse Symphony with HK Phil and Elliot Leung

 

Artifact Labs, a web3 company that helps ‘Preserve and Connect History’ on the blockchain, today announced a partnership with The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) for the première of The Metaverse Symphony, a new work by renowned cinematic composer Elliot Leung. As part of this pioneering collaboration, Artifact Labs serves as the official partner for Elliot Leung and the HK Phil, one of the globe’s premier orchestras, to create the world’s first-ever symphonic masterpiece that will première in both a concert hall and the metaverse.

The concert will take place in Hong Kong in May 2023, and The Metaverse Symphony will also be premièred in The Sandbox as a fully immersive Web3 experience. With The Sandbox as its metaverse partner, Artifact Labs is recreating Hong Kong’s iconic Statue Square as a multi-use digital venue to showcase the unlimited possibilities of music in a virtual world.

Elliot Leung is a renowned composer who is best known for his feature film soundtracks, including the theme and score for The Battle at Lake Changjin, the second-highest-grossing film of 2021 worldwide. Leung was also listed on the Forbes 2022 30 under 30 for his accomplishments and contribution to the film industry.

Commenting on the partnership, Gary Liu, Founder and CEO of Artifact Labs, said “We are thrilled to be partnering with HK Phil and Elliot on this history-making concert. Web3 allows for near-infinite creativity, and we believe this experience will introduce the possibilities of the metaverse to a wider audience.”

“The Sandbox open metaverse platform is bridging culture and all forms of art from the physical world into the virtual world, allowing users to express their creativity in accessible new ways never seen before,’ said Sebastien BORGET, COO and Co-Founder of The Sandbox. “We’re honored to premiere The Metaverse Symphony, which will connect users from around the globe socially through their Avatars and enable them to share emotions, listen to music, and be inspired in a one-of-a-kind immersive experience.”

Benedikt Fohr, HK Phil Chief Executive, said, “Innovative technology may lead arts of all kinds to new horizons. The HK Phil is proud to present our first-ever Arts Tech programme, connecting emerging composer Elliot Leung and our valued partners in creating the first metaverse-inspired symphony. Down this path we are committed to exploring the world of music with innovative, creative use of technology.”

Composer Elliot Leung said, “I am honored and thrilled to compose the world’s first Metaverse Symphony. As a composer I have always been committed to preserving the traditions of symphonic music, pouring forth the best of my abilities to this craft. With the help of all the reputable partners in this project, I believe it will hoist symphonic music onto new heights.”