Ryan Andal has been an entrepreneur working at the intersection of entertainment and technology for over 20 years. Working at the bleeding edge of mobile gaming, virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence, he introduced new ways of storytelling as these technologies entered the entertainment landscape. In 2008 he Co-Founded Secret Location, a production studio that has been honoured by hundreds of awards including 2 Emmys, 11 Canadian Screen awards, and a Peabody. Ryan led the company through 2 acquisitions, first when he and his partners sold Secret Location in 2016 to Entertainment One, a global film, TV, and music studio and distributor, and second in 2019 when eOne was acquired in a $4B deal by Hasbro, the play and entertainment giant. He did this while adapting the business to keep up with the rapid changes in the entertainment industry.
In 2022, after a change in CEO at Hasbro, Secret Location was subsequently shut down with a few departments and assets being reallocated. Ryan subsequently orchestrated a deal to purchase a number of assets to relaunch Secret Location as an Immersive Entertainment Studio at the start of 2023 along with a group of former Secret Location employees. Working with his partners at Illuminarium Experiences, they opened a brand new immersive entertainment venue Illuminarium at the Distillery District located within the Distillery Historic District in his home city of Toronto, Canada.
Ryan continues to innovate in the industry as both the Founder of the newly relaunched Secret Location and as a partner at Illuminarium at the Distillery District.
