Christopher Byrne is President of Byrne Communications, Inc. and is known worldwide as The Toy Guy®. A 35-year-plus veteran of the toy industry and an acknowledged expert on child development and play, Chris held major marketing and creative positions in the early part of his career. Since 1988, he has run Byrne Communications, Inc., a consultancy that works in product development, strategic planning, organizational development, consumer experience, go-to-market programs, and marketing. He consults on entertainment and licensing projects (animated and live action) and speaks extensively on the role and benefits of play in child development. His TEDNext Talk on Play for a Lifetime is currently online. He appears on TV talking about toys and play in the U.S. and around the world, including the Emmy-winning Live with Kelly and Mark where he has been a regular guest. He is the author of countless articles in trade and consumer press and seven books on the toy industry and play, including Toy Time: A Look Back at the Most Beloved Toys of the 1950s to the 1980s. His book Funny Business, Harnessing the Power of Play to Give Your Business a Competitive Advantage, has been used in a variety of industries to foster innovation. They Came to Play is a history of the toy industry and the Toy Association 1916-2016. He is also the author of the textbook An Introduction to The U.S. Toy Industry: Serious Fun, which is used in undergraduate and graduate business programs. The Third Edition was released in 2023. His Audible course: A History of the U.S. Toy Industry 1900-2024 is currently available. He creates and facilitates corporate training programs designed to inspire play and creativity as a springboard to innovation. He speaks internationally, regularly consults to the investment community about the business of toys, and is the co-creator and host of the industry-facing show The Playground Podcast, with more than 210 episodes over seven seasons. In his not-so-secret double life, Chris has been a theater critic in New York since 1998 and is the author of A Man of Much Importance: The Art and Life of Terrence McNally, as well as more than 1,000 reviews of theater in New York.