From UFC to anime to Apple Vision Pro, the innovative product leader has consistently anticipated — and built for — the future of digital entertainment, including helping drive a weekend record-breaking box office haul
LOS ANGELES – After five years driving subscriber growth and product innovation at Crunchyroll (Sony Pictures Entertainment), Senior Product Manager Patrick Perez is stepping into the next chapter of his career. Known for spotting cultural inflexion points before they explode, Perez departs Crunchyroll with a reputation as one of streaming’s most forward-looking product leaders.
At Crunchyroll, Perez spearheaded the Funimation-to-Crunchyroll app migration, introduced groundbreaking iOS features (from digital membership cards to spatial audio to high-engagement widgets), and helped power subscriber growth past 17 million, with mobile leading the charge. His team also made national headlines in 2024 with one of the first native Apple Vision Pro apps, securing Crunchyroll’s place as an Apple Day One Launch Partner.
Additionally, he and his team leveraged mobile platforms to help drive the record-breaking $70M U.S. box office opening of ‘Demon Slayer Infinity Castle‘, scoring the top opening ever for an anime title in North America, Sony’s best showing in recent times, and a record-breaking debut for Crunchyroll.
“Patrick doesn’t just build features — he builds momentum,” said a colleague. “Wherever media consumption is going next, he’s already there.”
Perez’s career has been defined by anticipating how audiences engage with emerging platforms:
- At Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), he built the foundation of its digital business, pioneering multi-camera live PPV streaming and UFC Fight Pass, fueling the promotion’s $4.2B acquisition by WME-IMG | Endeavor.
- At GoTV Networks, he helped launch the first-ever video newscasts on mobile phones, creating branded channels with ABC, Univision, The Weather Channel, and Sony Music, amplifying artists from Shakira to Pete Yorn.
- At FOX Sports’ FUEL TV, he and his team streamed the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing live from Hawaii and partnered in the launch of Hulu.
Beyond corporate roles, Perez has innovated as a developer (his Kendrick Lamar Alexa skill reached millions globally) and as a storyteller (a three-time Emmy winner with multiple documentary awards, plus bylines on esports, media, and AI trends as early as 2018).
Perez himself reflected on this next chapter:
“I’ve always believed the most exciting part of media is what comes next — the moments when technology and culture collide to create entirely new ways of connecting with fans. From UFC to anime to spatial computing, I’ve been fortunate to help shape those inflection points. As I step into this next chapter, I’m excited to keep building at the edges of innovation, where audiences are headed, not where they’ve already been.” — Patrick Perez
He added a sharper note for what’s ahead:
“The future of media lives at the edge of innovation — and that’s exactly where I plan to be.” — Patrick Perez
You can follow his journey on both LinkedIn and Substack or via his website.
