Show Host

Laird Malamed is co-host of BondCast’s For Year Ears Only music shows.  He also co-hosts The Magic of John Williams as part of the IndyCast.  He can be heard from time-to-time on other podcasts too.

Outside of the audio world, Laird is COO of Oculus, the leader in virtual reality, and a 2014 acquisition of Facebook.   He also holds a part-time faculty position at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.  Prior to Oculus, Malamed was Sr. Vice President and Head of Development at Activision Blizzard overseeing software, hardware and manufacturing for products like Guitar Hero, Call of Duty and Skylanders. Laird held a variety of roles at Activision during his 16+ year tenure including key positions in Activision’s internal studios, marketing, and European Studios.  Before joining Activision, Laird worked as a Sound Editor at Sony Pictures Entertainment in Culver City, CA and LucasFilm Ltd. in Nicasio, CA. He has worked on a variety of film and television properties including The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Party of Five, Curse of the Starving Class and Clear and Present Danger.  

Laird won a Motion Picture’s Sound Editor’s nomination for his work on Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills and an Emmy Certificate for his work on the “Somme” episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.  He is a member of the Television Academy and served on the Board of the Interactive Academy from 2001 - 2003.

Laird earned a joint Bachelor of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering and Film & Media Studies. He attended the Graduate School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California.  He continues his involvement with both schools, serving on the MIT Arts Council and CDC, and representing interactive students on the USC Cinematic Arts Alumni Development Council.

An avid marathon runner, Malamed occasionally publishes a blog on running at www.runlairdrun.com, and he and his wife publish an integrative medical information site for consumers at www.drrebeccca.com.