UK - Shure has announced a new sales structure. Led by José A. Rivas, vice president and chief sales officer at Shure, the new global sales structure was reengineered to be closer to customers and end users. The new structure will cover six geographic sales organisations to maximise the global presence of the company - North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia and Pacific.
“This new organisational structure has been designed to enhance operational efficiencies and expedite growth initiatives, aligning Shure for success in the ever-evolving market landscape,” said Rivas. “We believe this change will allow us to be more connected with our customers and end users and will bring our extraordinary solutions even closer to the market.”
Marco Weissert, associate vice president at Shure will lead Europe. Marco's journey at Shure began as the director of human resources and processes for EMEA. He was subsequently appointed as the managing director for Shure's Central European direct market entities. Building upon his achievements, Marco then assumed the leadership of Shure's Middle East and Africa entity, further expanding his international experience, and strengthening Shure's presence in these dynamic markets.
"I’m thrilled to embark on this new journey as associate vice president for the European region and to lead such a talented team. The new structure will allow us to seize new opportunities, drive growth in Europe and create remarkable experiences to our valued customers and end
Italy - Powersoft has announced the appointment of Takis Tsonopoulos as business development manager for the MEA region. In his new role, effective from 1 February 2024, Tsonopoulos will be responsible for new and existing clients and working closely with high-level decision-makers in the region.
Tsonopoulos brings over 30 years of industry experience to his new role and joins Powersoft from Harman International, where he worked as an account manager, overseeing professional audio distributor accounts for the south EMEA regions.
“For me, quality is not only about the products of the brand, but also the level of support, people behind the company and the overall experience working with a brand. I am confident that Powersoft exceeds expectations in each of these aspects,” he says.
Looking forward to opportunities in the Middle East and Africa market, Tsonopoulos shares: “These regions are dynamic with ongoing technological growth and developments. This presents fantastic opportunities for the pro-AV market, specifically for Powersoft, as a forefront of pro-AV technology.”
Luca Giorgi, sales and business development director, Powersoft, says: “We are excited to welcome Takis to our Powersoft family. With a strong background in the pro-AV industry, he is well-positioned to bring a wealth of experience to his new role. I am confident that his expertise will contribute to our ongoing success and help foster growth in the MEA region.” Takis Tsonopoulos will be present at Powersoft’s booth 7E700 at ISE 2024 in Barcelona.
UK - Owing to the demand in services, Artistic Solutions has appointed a regional hire manager to oversee operations north of the border in Scotland. Neil McCallum is based in Fife, and his primary role will be to continue to support clients into 2024 and beyond.
Neil joins Artistic Solutions with considerable experience, with a strong background in live theatre working with both professional and amateur organisations. His expertise will cover hire, sales and installations.
Italy - K-array, is marking the beginning of 2024 with a series of new appointments aimed at strengthening the brand’s development on a global scale, with a focus on the AV market. Internally, Francesco Maffei, Simone Rossoni, Daniel Strasserra and Lorenzo De Poi are adopting new and strategic roles within the company, whilst well-known industry name, Vincenzo Borelli, joins K-array in the role of business development manager focused on the live events market.
Francesco Maffei, formerly area sales manager EMEA, has been appointed to the new role of sales director. In this role, Maffei will oversee commercial efforts across all regions. “Having been part of the K-array story since the beginning, I'm very proud and excited to take on this new role,” he states.
Also joining the sales team, Simone Rossoni will be responsible for driving growth and providing comprehensive sales support in the Italian and Swiss markets.
With 16 years of experience working globally with K-array, Daniel Strasserra will take on the role of global business development manager, with a broad focus across all vertical market sectors. "I'm excited for 2024, where I’ll be focused on increasing our impact on major projects, building relationships with international artists and DJs and growing our partnerships with rental companies,” explains Strasserra.
A further appointment from within the K-array family is Lorenzo De Poi, who will be heading up brand management across both the K-array and KGEAR brands. De Poi has been instrumental in growing the prominence of KGEA
USA - Obsidian Control Systems has announced the addition of Daniel Boerner to its expanding global team as a newly appointed technical support and training specialist. Daniel started in the new position in November and uses his expertise in lighting control to support Obsidian’s Netron line of data distribution products. Over time, his role will extend to encompass support for all products under the Obsidian brand.
Daniel brings experience from his previous position at Acuity Brands, where he served as a technical support specialist for six distinct product lines. Additionally, he served as coach, author, and publisher for a Knowledge Centered Service (KCS) programme, contributing content for customer-facing troubleshooting and training.
In his new role at Obsidian, Daniel’s primary responsibilities encompass firmware/software testing, customer support, and the creation of technical documentation and training materials for the Netron line.
Matthias Hinrichs, product manager at Obsidian Control Systems, comments: “Daniel is a great addition to our Obsidian team, who is already positively impacting the support we provide to our customers worldwide. He comes with a lot of valuable, real-world experience in entertainment data applications that allows him to provide expert-level support to ensure clients' success.”
UK - HH Audio has announced the appointment of Kyle Watson to the post of product manager. Kyle has been a member of the Headstock family for more than a year, having worked as an after-sales & service coordinator across the group’s brands. Prior to that he gained sales experience at PMT’s Birmingham store.
HH Audio director of international sales Ian Wright comments, “Kyle’s skills and experience, combined with a keen interest in the development of audio technology, mark him out as an excellent candidate for his new role. He’s a strong communicator with a ready feel for the needs of the market who understands exactly how our products and our business work.”
Visitors to this year’s edition of ISE in Barcelona can meet Kyle on HH’s Booth 7L760 where he will be part of the team introducing a number of new products to the market. He comments: “I’m very much looking forward to the new challenge and certainly expect to hit the ground running at ISE.”
Germany - Holoplot has announced the appointment of Jocelyne Bückner as its new head of marketing. Based in Germany, Bückner brings over 15 years of marketing experience gained in various senior positions, including her latest leadership role at d&b audiotechnik as director of brand and corporate communications.
Reporting to Holoplot CEO, Roman Sick, Bückner comments: “Holoplot has elevated the sound control race to a different level. But what impressed me even more was the contemporary nature of the company. Among all the brands in the market, Holoplot has such an interesting story, and the company messaging is cutting-edge and personally resonated with me.”
“Jocelyne brings a strong strategic capability and unwavering energy to the team, coupled with a growth mindset,” concludes Sick. “As we expand our market presence, manifesting and building relationships with our partners across the globe, she will be an important piece of the jigsaw, helping us further broaden our market appeal and highlighting the value Holoplot is providing to our clients.”
USA - The recently launched music community platform We Are Giant has announced the addition of live music and entertainment executive David Rappaport to its board of directors. The chief operating officer of global touring at AEG Presents will serve as a strategic advisor to We Are Giant founding CEO Andy Apple and his executive leadership team.
Rappaport is an industry professional who brings a deep tenure of experience across live entertainment and artist relations. Before joining AEG Presents, Rappaport also served as head of artist relations (Americas) at YouTube Music / Google, where he spearheaded new education and strategy initiatives geared towards artists, management companies, and agencies.
“David’s leadership and many years of experience executing deals - in addition to building deep relationships across genres - will contribute to our success as we continue to advance the music industry," said Andy Apple. “In addition to being widely respected as one of the industry’s top executives, his passion will be a catalyst for We Are Giant to create more value for artists and their communities. Gaining David’s support as our early stage board member and strategic advisor is invaluable as we embark on our next phase of growth.”
“I’m passionate about breaking down the traditional walls that have prevented artists from reaching fans and creating community. I strongly believe that We Are Giant is the solution the industry has been waiting for to turn music conversation into connection and I'm incredibly proud to be on the board at
UK - The theatre industry is mourning the loss of Martin McCallum (6 April 1950 - 14 January 2024), FRSA, who passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on 14 January. Former president of the Society of London Theatre and advisor to the Arts Council, McCallum was a pioneering British theatrical producer who left a long-lasting mark on the world of theatre. With a career spanning over 500 shows, McCallum’s contributions to the theatre sector were ground-breaking and transformative.
Starting his career as an assistant stage manager at the Castle Theatre in Farnham, under the mentorship of Laurence Olivier at the Old Vic, Martin became a production manager for the National Theatre of Great Britain. His contributions were instrumental in the National’s move to London’s South Bank, where he managed notable productions such as Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night featuring Olivier and Constance Cummings.
In 1978, McCallum co-founded the Production Office, the first of its kind in technical and general production management. Through this venture he supervised pioneering shows, including Filumena, Evita, Sweeney Todd and Jesus Christ Superstar.
In 1981 Martin partnered with Cameron Mackintosh, acting as his managing director for 18 years and vice-chairman for three, he oversaw a period of unprecedented growth with acclaimed productions like Cats, Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera, achieving worldwide success.
From 1992 to 2003, McCallum chaired the Donmar War
USA - Following its recent partnership with PK Sound, ACT Entertainment has set out to enhance its professional live sound division with the appointment of several new industry experts.
Included among them is Ralph Mastrangelo, who takes on the role of director of sales: live sound; as well as Richard ‘Rick’ Coleman, who will serve as outside sales representative: live sound and Joe Langholt, as product specialist: live sound. The new team members will be in attendance at the 2024 NAMM Show.
“We are thrilled to welcome these three experienced industry professionals,” says Ben Saltzman, CEO, ACT Entertainment. “Their experience in the live sound industry makes them all great additions to our team. We are eager for them to use their expertise and skills to contribute to ACT’s mission of helping our customers realise their creative vision.”
A New York native currently residing in Nashville, Ralph Mastrangelo has spent his entire life working in the live event industry. In addition to having previously been a business owner and company executive, Mastrangelo is a touring and live sound engineer and production manager who spent over 20 years with Clair Global.
A native of Columbus, Ohio, Rick Coleman joins the ACT team from Meyer Sound, where throughout his 24-year tenure, he consistently ranked among the company’s top sales managers in the U.S.
Finally, Denver-based Joe Langholt is a sound engineer who has spent the past 20 years working with top production companies while simultaneously filling his passport touring with m
UK - ETC has announced the promotion of Matt Cowles to associate regional manager for the UK and Ireland. In his new role, Cowles will continue to manage sales activities for key accounts in the region whilst assisting regional sales manager, Jeremy Roberts in developing stronger relationships with ETC’s dealers and specifiers.
Matt joined ETC in 2019 as a field project coordinator, managing projects across the UK and providing technical sales for ETC’s customers. Prior to this, he had over 17 years of experience working in the industry.
Jeremy Roberts comments: “Matt has made an exceptionally positive contribution to the work of the ETC London office with his customer focus, technical ability and care for colleagues. This new role will allow him to become more proactive in the increasingly busy UK market; assisting in managing key accounts and continuing to grow relationships with the rental market and lighting community, building upon the success of recent years.”
Europe - Void Acoustics has announced the appointment of Patrick Leiner as regional sales manager for Europe.
Patrick brings considerable expertise from his previous roles in B2B sales at Pioneer DJ/Pro Audio and Grundig in Austria.
Alex Skan, managing director, at Void Acoustics, said: "We are delighted to welcome Patrick to the Void team. His background and deep understanding of the industry make him the perfect fit to lead our sales efforts in the EMEA region. Patrick has an authentic enthusiasm for audio technology, an incredibly valued part of what makes Void Acoustics special."
Patrick Leiner, regional sales manager for Europe, said: "I am thrilled to be part of Void, a company that is synonymous with innovation and excellence in the audio technology space. Working in the AV sector for two decades, Void’s sound systems have a proven reputation as one of the best in the industry. I look forward to leveraging my experience to contribute to Void's continued success."
Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) in Barcelona, Spain, will provide the opportunity to meet with Patrick and the wider Void Acoustics team.
Australia - Jeromy Young, co-founder of Atomos, has returned to the business as managing director and CEO. Young, who was previously CEO of Atomos for over 10 years, retired from executive duties in November 2021 to pursue other business and personal interests. Several of his subsequent business activities were aligned with the broader video technology industry, and he will bring that wider perspective to his existing knowledge of Atomos and its markets.
“I feel privileged and very excited to be back at the head of the company I helped to build. I have a very clear vision of how to return Atomos to a powerful and growing tech company and I’m already working with the team to realize this,” commented Young. “The last year has been a challenging one for many companies in the broadcast and professional video industry, Atomos included, but there are some green shoots and many opportunities.”
“Atomos made the right decision in embracing Camera to Cloud and cloud-based live production workflows nearly two years ago, and we are starting to see it come to fruition with some fantastic recent use cases, including the LA Clippers, Sundance Film Festival and George Mason University.”
USA - Lighting industry professional Koy Neminathan, who joined Elation as director of business development in May of 2023, has now transitioned to a business development position with Obsidian Control Systems, the company’s lighting control brand.
Neminathan is now wholly focusing on the Obsidian range of lighting control and data distribution products. “As the company continues to invest in Obsidian, I find myself naturally gravitating towards control and I see huge potential for Onyx and Netron,” he commented. “I want to use my experience and knowledge to expand the global presence for the brand, ensuring that Obsidian is represented by the best distributors around the world and becomes synonymous within all segments of our market.”
Before joining Elation, the industry veteran served as sales director at lighting console manufacturer Avolites, where he worked for over 23 years in sales and business development.
“As we grow our training and awareness programme around the world, Obsidian's userbase will rise, capturing well-respected designers to up-coming talented operators. The brand already holds its own in install and system integration, however, as we grow our product portfolio and software features, I can see great potential in other segments,” comments Neminathan.
USA - Christie’s principal product developer Mike Perkins, has been awarded the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Award in Scientific and Engineering, along with three other recipients, for his work on the design and development of the Christie E3LH projection system, developed in partnership with Dolby Laboratories. The Academy’s Scientific and Technical Awards honour individuals and companies whose discoveries and innovations have contributed in significant and lasting ways to motion pictures.
The Christie E3LH Dolby Vision Cinema Projection System is the first projector to bring both high dynamic range (HDR) and wide colour gamut (WCG) technologies to the viewing audience. The system can be used as a single projector head or dual projector head configuration with a patented relay lens that enables 3D stereoscopic presentations with full brightness and simultaneous imaging to both eyes for an improved viewing experience. The system has been installed in more than 300 commercial and non-commercial cinema screens, including 3D colour correction and review rooms in more than 15 countries.
Perkins will be recognised during the official awards ceremony on 23 February at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California.
“This coveted award is a testament to the skilled engineering team at Christie. I’m extremely proud of everyone’s dedication to this important project and thank them for developing this award-winning innovative cinema projection system,” says Koji Naito, chief executive officer, Christie.
As a
UK - The Academy of Live Technology confers Honorary Fellowships upon individuals in recognition of their significant commitment and contribution to the live entertainment and creative industries. The 2023 Graduation Ceremony, hosted on Saturday 2 December in Production Park’s Studio 005, saw the Honorary Fellowship awarded to Sarah Rushton-Read.
Her career spans over 30 years. Having initially stepped into the creative industries as an actress, she moved into stage management in 1985 and then successfully into lighting design and management for theatre, opera and ballet, working at leading venues including The Royal Opera House and Glyndebourne Opera.
After a brief stint as a production manager at PRG, Sarah swerved into garden and architectural lighting design, whilst also co-running an events lighting company.
In 2002, Sarah became assistant editor at LSi and spent two years developing a deep understanding of the entertainment industry ecosystem, beyond just backstage.
As a result, she saw the need for an innovative communications agency and The Fifth Estate was born. Today, The Fifth Estate is staffed by a team of full-time specialists and supported by a host of talented associates and freelancers. Its global clients include equipment manufacturers, service providers, creative designers and marketing agencies. For the last ten years, The Fifth Estate has developed, produced and managed The Knight Of Illumination Awards in the UK (and more recently in the USA) and has sought to celebrate creativity across the sectors of theatre, concert
Germany - Roxx has announced the appointment of Michael Staffopoulos as its new global business development manager. In this pivotal role, Michael will spearhead Roxx’ international business expansion. He will be collaborating with key stakeholders, and establishing strategic partnerships to fuel the company's growth.
"We are delighted to welcome Michael Staffopoulos to Roxx,” states Thorsten Sattler, managing director at Roxx. "Michael's extensive experience and strategic mindset align perfectly with our vision for global expansion and innovation. We are confident that he will play a pivotal role in driving Roxx success in new and existing markets."
"I am so excited to join Roxx, a young, fast growing and extremely professional company known for its commitment to innovation and quality in the lighting industry," says Michael Staffopoulos. "I was already confident the products and technology were state of the art. However, it is only when I met the team of owners in Cologne, I was 100% sure of my decision. Michael, Daniel and Thorsten have such a clear vision and passion. I am humbled to be part of this journey and propel the company to new heights."
Michael brings 14 years of experience in the professional lighting industry, having previously held key roles at AED Group and Minuit Une.
UK - Hive has announced the appointment of Nigel Sadler to the role of sales director. Sadler's background in the world of live entertainment and show business, along with his extensive career, positions him to drive Hive's vision of democratising the media engine market forward.
Sadler has dedicated more than two decades to the lighting and event industry. After working as a teacher at Mountview Theatre School and the BRIT School, Sadler began his industry career as a sales manager at M&M Lighting in 1992, before later taking on influential roles at ETC Europe and DHA. Throughout his career, Sadler has worked on high-profile projects including the Super Bowl, the Academy Awards and worldwide stadium tours of renowned bands and artists.
“Hive aspires to give storytellers, designers, architects and the wider creative industry the best tools possible to display their ideas, whilst providing a noticeable saving on physical space, energy consumption and capital investment,” explains Mark Calvert, co-founder at Hive. “Nigel’s appointment puts him in the driving seat for our own story to be told, giving our customers the confidence they deserve with a trusted industry legend at the helm of our sales department.”
In his role as sales director, Nigel Sadler is responsible for setting up worldwide distribution channels and routes to market for Hive's growing portfolio of media playback solutions.
The Netherlands - Kramer has expanded its senior leadership team, with the appointment of experienced AV professional Lukasz Czajkowski as its new EMEA customer service director.
Based at Kramer’s EMEA HQ in Amstelveen, Netherlands, Lukasz brings considerable senior management experience to the Kramer team, having held top-level customer support, care and experience-focused positions at several leading global organizations, including IBM, Unisys, and Sonos, where he spent more than 15 years.
Reporting to Peter Baxter, senior vice president (SVP) for EMEA, Czajkowski will be responsible for refreshing and overseeing all of Kramer’s customer service operations, which are a key part of the company’s ongoing business transformation and ambitious growth strategy.
Lukasz is the latest high-profile addition to Kramer’s growing and evolving senior EMEA executive team, as the company continues its transformation to provide enhanced, previously unseen levels of localised, customer-centric support and offerings tailored to specific regions.
He joins Brooke Ellingworth (director of EMEA channel), Giancarlo Aletti and Davide De Letteriis (area sales managers, Italy), and Gerrit Lipgens (regional manager, DACH), who have all joined in recent weeks and are integral to the company’s ambitions to become the brand of choice in the global market within the next five years.
All the company's latest and best-selling solutions including its latest advances in AvoIP technology will be on show this year at ISE 2024 in Barcelona (3D300), where Lukas
USA - Bandit Lites has announced the promotion of Tyler Veneziano to client representative. With more than 13 years of experience on the road as one of the premiere Bandit team members, his skillset will bridge the gap of connecting clients’ visions to real, practical lighting applications.
“I look forward to creating strong relationships with new clients while emboldening current ones,” said Veneziano about his new position. “Bandit has never let me down. I’ve found an environment that I can professionally thrive in, and I couldn’t be on a better team.”
“I have never seen a person with a better personality and better suited to be a client rep,” elaborated Bandit Lites chair Michael T. Strickland. “Ty is a real people person, and he has a work ethic and dedication second to none. We all know Ty will succeed at a high level and his clients will love him.”
USA - Elation has announced the hiring of Tiffani Bryant as the company’s digital marketing creative specialist, a new position designed to help drive visibility across online digital media platforms, as well as provide creative input across all of Elation’s marketing channels.
Tiffani brings with her seven years of experience as a digital marketing professional, having managed media and created digital content for top brands in the sports and entertainment industry including UFC, Team USA, ESPN and multiple professional boxing brands. She also worked as onsite creative manager for Team USA Shop at Athlete Week in Washington DC following the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
“Elation is continuously evolving and innovating and I want to showcase that in the best way possible,” says Tiffani.
Eric Loader, global vice president for sales & marketing at Elation, adds: “Having Tiffani onboard marks an exciting chapter in our journey. She brings a dynamic perspective to our team and her wealth of experience, especially her work with renowned sports and entertainment brands, will help us to better engage with our audience.”
UK - Shure is expanding its spectrum & regulatory affairs capabilities. Led by Prakash Moorut, global head of spectrum & regulatory affairs at Shure, the team has added two additional experts in Europe. Based in France and London, respectively, they join Shure representatives in the U.S., Germany, China, and Dubai focusing on this important part of audio communications.
Guillaume Mascot joins Shure as senior manager, global regulatory policy, in Paris to support its presence in the French and international arenas where issues related to spectrum use and new cybersecurity and AI regulations are debated. With nearly 20 years of leadership experience in government and public affairs within multinational telecommunications companies, Guillaume Mascot will bring his expertise, network, and in-depth knowledge of the European and Asia-Pacific markets to the development of Shure's institutional strategy.
In the French market, Guillaume will be responsible for building sustainable strategic relationships with public decision-makers, regulators, and industry stakeholders. He will also be tasked with increasing Shure's visibility in preserving cultural frequencies alongside European associations and bodies, as well as expanding the company's sphere of influence in the Asia-Pacific and various Francophone regions around the world.
Martin Brock joins Shure as senior manager, global regulatory policy, in London to support spectrum issues in the UK, Europe and India, as well as cybersecurity and AI issues developments in the UK, U.S., and India. He joins
USA - AtlasIED has announced the hiring of Simon Godfrey as director of sales for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).
In a newly created role, Godfrey is responsible for sales of all AtlasIED product lines in the three regions, including loudspeakers, the AtlasIED Atmosphere audio processing and control system, the GLOBALCOM enterprise communications platform, and the AtlasIED IPX Series of audio and visual IP endpoints. Godfrey will report directly to Executive Vice President Matt Czyzewski.
"Simon is a sales pro with an impressive background in international sales and extensive relationships," said Czyzewski. "With a proven track record of creating and implementing successful customer success strategies, Simon will play a pivotal role in elevating our sales efforts and driving sustained growth in the region."
"It's an honour to join a forward-thinking organization like AtlasIED that values innovation and customer-centric solutions," said Godfrey. "I look forward to contributing my skills to drive sales initiatives, develop and grow client relationships, and be a part of the continued success and growth of the company."
Germany - Astera has announced the establishment of a new product management department as part of its ‘ongoing commitment to enhancing product development and customer satisfaction’.
Simon Canins, newly appointed CTO of Astera said: “We are thrilled to welcome Ben Díaz to the Astera family and embark on an exciting journey of growth and innovation together. Ben’s ability to listen to and understand the evolving needs of our customers makes him the perfect candidate to head up our busy product development. Being able to delegate responsibilities to someone of Ben’s calibre gives me strong confidence in reaching our company’s goals. Together we will create a seamless integration of product excellence and user-centric strategies, aligning with our ongoing mission to remain at the forefront of technological advancements."
Since 2014, Ben Díaz has been working for two leading lighting companies specializing in premium LED technology. His role as senior product manager at ARRI resulted in the creation of the award-winning SkyPanel X. Before that, he had been working for SGM light as head of product management where amongst other things he developed the first IP66 lights for the stage lighting industry.
Ben Díaz said: “Leading the product vision in a high-quality, user-centric brand for both film and entertainment is the logical step forward in my career. What I really like about Astera is that the company solves the real problems of filmmakers, LDs and lighting crews through careful listening, premium quality and smart innovations.”