UK - TLS Lighting has welcomed Mark Bailey on board as sales and marketing manager. Mark has extensive experience in the lighting Industry having worked on projects in the UK. and Europe for over 30 years.
Recently, he has been working on special effects and pyrotechnics for TV and Films, but is looking forward to working with the team at TLS Lighting on the wide range of projects they have ready to roll out this year.
TLS, which specialises in LED lighting control and Pixel tape products, has recently moved to new premises in north Walsham in Norfolk.

UK - 22live has appointed two new recruits to its team, with Aaron Boothe and James Gebhard both joining the line up as hire consultant and technical supervisor, respectively.
Aaron Boothe first started working with 22live in 2022 as a hire consultant, bringing some of his projects to the team led by Paul Timmins, namely Central Cee, D-Block Europe, Beenie Man and Rema. Boothe wears many hats as a production manager, system engineer and sound engineer. He joins 22live as a hire consultant, meaning that he will be responsible for bringing clients to 22live. Boothe already works with many artists and is a well-known figure within the industry.
Spencer Beard comments: “We are very pleased to welcome Aaron to the 22live team. Aaron is a great guy that will push us in front of new clients, and we really value him as both a great personality and engineer as well as also being one of the hardest workers I know! Having previously worked with Aaron I know he’s a great fit to the team at 22live, sharing our vision as the next generation service provider.”
Boothe adds: “I’ve really enjoyed all of the work I’ve done with 22live so far and it’s great to take up a formal position with the new company. 22live really excites me, and has reinvigorated my enthusiasm to seriously get back in the game post-pandemic. Everything 22live is doing has really impressed me, and I am 100% confident that my clients present and future will be impressed also.”
James Gebhard has also taken on a full time role as technical supervisor at 22live, and joi

USA - Hall Technologies has appointed Steven Pedroza as western regional sales manager. Pedroza has a long AV career supporting projects across a wide range of applications on both the manufacturers and system integration side of the industry.
“The West Coast is a key territory for Hall, and we could not be more pleased to have Steven on our team,” says VP of sales and marketing, Hal Truax. “He came highly recommended and is known for being very customer-focused and thorough. Those are key traits we look for on our team.”
“I’m extremely excited to join the Hall Technologies team at such a pivotal time in the company’s history, as well as within the AV industry I love so very much. Hall is a perfect fit for me and where I want to be in the industry, working side-by-side with a talented like-minded team that truly wants to help others succeed via technology.”

Europe - Ahead of a string of major announcements in the region, PK Sound has appointed event industry veteran Tim Timmermans to the role of Central European partner support. Based in Limburg Province, Netherlands, Timmermans will work closely with PK’s David Roselló, Southern European partner support, and Canadian HQ staff in developing and serving the company’s growing European network.
“PK Sound’s robotic line source technology is a total gamechanger, and the PK Alliance model puts these advanced capabilities into the hands of the next generation of live sound providers with an unrivalled total cost of ownership,” offers Timmermans. “We’ve already deployed T10 and Trinity Black systems for high-profile applications in venues throughout Europe with incredible results, and the industry is taking notice. I look forward to empowering more users throughout the EU with these innovative solutions.”
In his new role, Timmermans is a direct point of contact for PK’s current and future partners in the region.
Timmermans brings over 15 years’ experience to the role. In addition to serving as a manager with Stagelight, Timmermans has become one of the most demanded technical producers and project managers in the region, collaborating with a myriad of top-level touring artists, music festivals, and other live events.
Timmermans began his European network development work with PK Sound in January, making significant inroads in several key markets ahead of the 2023 launch of PK Sound Europe and PK Alliance.eu.

Europe - Brompton Technology has recently appointed Oliver Dier as its new technical sales manager. Dier, who has a wealth of experience working with professional AV systems such as camera systems for live events, film, and television, made his first appearance for the company at the ISE Show in Barcelona. Based in Germany, he will be reporting to Dries Vermeulen, Brompton's business development manager for Europe.
"Given that Germany is our largest market in continental Europe, hiring someone in the region that speaks the same language seemed the most natural thing to do," says Vermeulen. "As technical sales manager, Oliver will be instrumental in developing and nurturing robust relationships with our customers in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, plus other key areas, while also ensuring they are kept informed of the most recent advancements and developments in Brompton's innovative product portfolio."
"More than 10 years ago, I was a part of the team which supplied the screen for the Gravity Lightbox. It was a real game changer in the film industry,” says Dier. “I have collaborated with members of the Brompton team before and witnessed first-hand the dynamic innovations and advancements the company has introduced to the market in recent years. Today is another milestone for me and I am thrilled to be joining such a highly regarded team, and an organisation that is considered a benchmark within the industry for LED video processing."

Europe - Paul Johnson (PJ), has joined Ayrton in the newly created position of global install director with immediate effect. His role will be to open up a new area of activity for the company, expanding the use of stage lighting to architectural and large-scale, long-term installations.
Johnson has long been fascinated by ways of bringing the creativity of stage lighting into the architectural and built environment in ways that enhance and maximise the experience for both the client and user.
Having spent the past 15 years forging this philosophy with architectural installation and creative companies, whilst also maintaining an ongoing involvement in stage lighting design, Johnson now brings his eclectic experience to Ayrton where he will focus on bringing together the best of both worlds.
“There is an increasing potential in architectural development to introduce an ‘experience’ into building design through creative lighting,” says Johnson, “and there’s a huge skill set in the world of entertainment lighting which can translate across to fulfil this need.
“I’ve always enjoyed the process of moving my love of stage lighting and music to another location, and Ayrton fits into this perfectly due to the undeniable robustness and longevity of its products, and a willingness in the company to think outside the box. Their range of IP65/IP66 moving head fixtures especially opens up a world of possibilities for long-term projects and installations including the stadia and arena world, and the low maintenance and intelligent technolo

Europe - Absen has announced the appointment of Vegard Børresen and Dawid Laskowski business development managers for the Nordic region and Poland respectively.
Børresen brings extensive experience in sales and regional development to his role, most recently serving as business development director in the Nordic region for another LED brand.
Laskowski brings with him 17+ years of experience in sales, marketing and regional management across the digital print and AV markets.
“I am delighted to join Absen and be at the cutting edge of LED technology,” says Børresen, “Absen understand and respects that regional business development has cultural nuances. I am excited to bring my experience and market knowledge to Absen to help reach our goals in this territory.”
Ruben Rengel, vice President of global business development comments, “We are delighted to add Dawid and Vegard to our team; they are ideally placed to help support clients and drive new opportunities in their respective regions. Their deep understanding of their regions and vast background in the AV sector is a perfect fit for what we require in Europe. We are excited to see what new things lie ahead with these two appointments.”

Australia - Lightware Visual Engineering has announced two key roles, with a focus on growth in the Australian market. Gordon Anderson is the national manager for defence, intelligence and government, while John Garfi is the regional manager for Victoria and Tasmania. These announcements contribute to elevating the Australian Lightware office as a central hub for customers and partners across the Asia-Pacific region.
In his new role and working from Canberra, Gordon Anderson ‘will ensure that Lightware's hardware delivers the highest quality in AV & UC system security, with the reliability and performance demanded by these key sectors’. He has previously worked for Intravision, Crestron Electronics, Hills Limited, Sound Advice Australia and his own company Anderson Audiovisual.
John Garfiis a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the live staging, hospitality, audio-visual/ICT integration, consulting, rental and production industries.
Based in Melbourne, John will be serving Lightware's diverse clientele, including higher education, specialist consultants, systems integrators, government, and commercial clients.
Lightware’s new Australian headquarters which includes a training theatre, experience centre, warehouse and technical development centre opened in May 2022 as a strategic step to expand the company’s presence in the region.

USA - The Behind the Scenes Foundation has added a number of new board members over the last six months intended to broaden industry representation and ensure continuity for future generations of entertainment technology professionals.
Chairperson Rick Rudolph states, “The Foundation has evolved and expanded its scope since forming in2005. Our mission now includes a Mental Health initiative along with the core of multiple needs grants. With increased programmes and the desire for more outreach and expertise, we have invited additional members to join the board of directors bringing fresh ideas and knowledge. I am extremely pleased to welcome them and grateful to our current and past members. The work we do is important, impacting our colleagues by providing help, hope and awareness.”
Joining the Board are Liz Campos, executive director of the IATSE Training Trust Fund; Caroline Chauvet, global brand manager for Chauvet; Kate Foster, marketing communication specialist for ETC; Paul Royalty, senior vice president of sales for LiteGear; Brad Schiller, lighting industry veteran; Jeff Siegel, director of Eastern region systems for Barbizon Lighting; Court Watson, USA 829 costume and scenic designer; and Pat White, president of IATSE Local 764 and director of education and training, IATSE.
Court Watson, whose design credits include theatre, opera and dance around the world, has created several popular BTS holiday cards over the years. It was his focus though, on making our workplaces safer and healthier for all that led the Board to invite him to join

USA - Meyer Sound has promoted Amy Luley to the position of director of global sales operations. In her new capacity, Luley will assume responsibility for overseeing and coordinating operational activities of the Meyer Sound sales teams both in the United States and internationally.
Luley was promoted to the new position based on the e sales success achieved in her prior position as director of U.S. sales operations. She will continue in that role, but now in addition to Meyer Sound’s team of sales managers in the United States, her responsibilities have been extended to include supporting the operational activities of director of international sales Scott Gledhill (Asia Pacific), Meyer Sound Europe managing director Wolfgang Leute (sales for Europe, Middle East, and Africa), and director, Latin America operations Jocelyn Moras. She will continue to report to senior vice president John McMahon.
“Amy played a major role in driving our sales team to set a new record for U.S. sales in 2022, and now we want to bring that same energy and skillset to the global stage,” says McMahon. “She has an ability to not only grasp the big picture of our global sales and marketing strategy but also to apply the focused mindset needed to manage the myriad of details and decisions that turn strategy into measurable results.”
Luley joined Meyer Sound in 2014 and was principally responsible for introducing the salesforce platform and leveraging its power to boost the efficiency and productivity of the company’s sales efforts.
“I’m looking forward to

UK/Singapore - Chauvet has expanded its international training and support team. The company has announced the appointment of Amy Kerr and Jeffrey Ong, two experienced industry members as product specialists.
Based in Manchester, Kerr will be responsible for the Europe, Middle East and Africa markets, while Ong, who works out of Singapore, will handle Asia.
“Everyone at our company, from our CEO Albert Chauvet on down, is committed to offering customers a complete package that includes not only quality products, but also the ability to support them with training and education,” said Stéphane Gressier, Chauvet’s international sales director. “We want our customers to know as much as possible about our products, so they get the maximum benefit out of them. With Amy and Jeffrey, we have two people who possess a deep understanding of lighting and lighting products.”
Kerr, who has served on PLASA panels, and been a lighting designer for artists, such the English singer/songwriter Dylan, was most recently a field sales support specialist for Robe, a position she held for over eight years, and through which she ran training programs throughout the UK.
Ong, a graduate of Singapore Polytec, likewise brings a wealth of experience to his new position, having served as the product and application manager at Harman Professional Singapore for almost 16 years. Prior to holding that position, he was the technical supervisor at The Ministry of Sound Singapore.

UK - Lightware Visual Engineering has announced the appointment of Christopher Chandler as vice president of global partnerships. In his new role, Chris will be responsible for driving business growth within integrator customers and alliance partners globally, and he will report to Szabolcs Turi, Lightware’s executive director, business development.
Chris is an experienced audio and technology industry professional with a track record spanning more than 25 years in sales and management. Prior to joining Lightware, he worked at Biamp where he held various roles including sales director.
"Lightware is committed to providing the best integrated systems solutions to our customers, and we are excited to have Chris join the business to lead our global partnerships strategy," said Szabolcs Turi, "His extensive experience across the industry will make him an invaluable asset, and we’re confident that he will help us to continue to grow and provide exceptional service to our partners and customers alike."
"I am thrilled to be joining the Lightware team and look forward to helping the company elevate its already impressive offering to the AV community," said Chris.

UK - Doughty Engineering has announced the appointment of two new directors. Dan Phillips and Mark Chorley will join the board with immediate effect. Julian Chiverton will serve as CEO, with Stephen Wright taking on the role of managing director. The new directors are current employees at Doughty and will, in time assume specific leadership roles within the company.
Dan Phillips has been a member of the Doughty team for more than 15 years, originally joining the company as a sub-contractor in assembly. In his most recent role as special projects manager, Dan has built strong client relationships as well as working within R&D to bring new and innovative products to market. “I feel very privileged to take on this role. After the past few turbulent years brought about by COVID and Brexit, the future is looking bright and I’m delighted to be joining the board at such an exciting time for our industry.”
Mark joined Doughty three decades ago and has been responsible for the design and release of some of Doughty’s best-known pieces of kit over the years. He said: “I’m thrilled to be joining the Doughty board and working with a great team of people. I’m looking forward to leveraging my experience and using it to continue Doughty’s tradition of developing quality, reputable solutions for the entertainment technology industry. We take great pride in asking our customers what they want, rather than second guessing what we think they want and that’s something I’m keen to see continuing.”
Julian commented: “We needed to regenerate th

USA - RatPac Controls has announced that founder and chief innovation officer Craig Brink is stepping down after 12 years with the company.
Since its inception in 2011, RatPac Controls has experienced tremendous success with its innovative approach to lighting controls. RatPac Controls has expanded its portfolio to over 25 products, including silent dimming, data distribution, and wireless DMX control products. Craig Brink's contributions helped change how gaffers rig and control lights on film and TV sets and earned RatPac Controls its reputation as an industry leader.
Before founding RatPac Controls, Craig Brink worked as a rigging gaffer, with credits including The Big Lebowski, The Fast, and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, and Fracture.
Craig Brink stated, "RatPac Controls has grown tremendously over the last 12 years. We've built a deep and talented team focused on innovation, new product development, and customer satisfaction. It's time for me to move on and let our team continue their great work. I will miss the RatPac Controls family, but I know the company is in great hands as it moves forward."
RatPac Controls' EVP of sales and marketing, Nick Stabile, stated, "It was an honor to build this company with Craig. We will miss Craig's passion for lighting controls, and we wish him all the best."

UK - Ahead of International Women’s Day (8 March 2023), full-service technical production partner, JLL, wants to shine a spotlight on the gender gap within the production and events industry.
Currently only 31% of credited crew roles off screen are filled by women and just 5% of sound leads in the industry are female (Kindred Magazine, The Gender Gap Issue) and in JLL’s opinion this needs to change.
Addressing the issue, JLL is actioning change by paving the way for more female talent and a diverse workplace industry wide. Since 2015, JLL has increased female representation in the company by 300% and is continuing to encourage more women into the industry by opening new roles.
Going the extra mile, JLL offers employees access to a 24-hour, employee assistance programme which supports women, men and parents in all aspects of working life. Notably, this programme includes stress and anxiety counselling, as well as childcare and family support – an initiative which is available company-wide.
Jack Linaker, managing director at JLL, noted: “We are keen to support a drive for increased diversity within the tv production, lighting and events industry. We are passionate about equal opportunities and are continually creating new positions, bringing greater talent to the industry.”
Georgia Ward, digital content creator at JLL, first joined the company in 2021 in a newly created role. "Joining JLL was a huge opportunity in which they put their full trust in me. It was a new role they created and we’ve navigated it together. Digi

USA - Powersoft has announced the appointment of Thomas Howie as a business development manager in the US, to further support the company’s exponential growth in the region. Howie, a pro-AV industry veteran, will be responsible for new and existing clients, as well as global key accounts.
Howie brings a combined 40 years of experience in the AV industry to his new role. In his most recent position as vice president of sales and marketing at Glidecam Industries, he successfully led the department that developed, coordinated and conducted live and remote training programmes. Prior to Glidecam, Howie spent 15 years at CBS Broadcasting.
“I believe that my diverse experience in AV, broadcast, manufacturing and technical fields will be highly advantageous for our customers,” states Howie. “I am thrilled to join Powersoft’s innovative team and I am particularly excited about the growth prospects that lie ahead in the US marketplace. Powersoft is positioned for tremendous growth and I am eager to play a role in this.”
“Thomas’s direct experience in key verticals makes him an excellent addition to our senior team at Powersoft US. Bringing depth of experience, he will help us deliver the highest level of service that our customers have come to expect. I look forward to working closely with Thomas,” says Tom Knesel.

USA - Chase M. Strickland has worked in and around Bandit since a very young age. Armed now with a degree in business management from the University of Tennessee, Strickland has assumed the role of business manager at Bandit’s headquarters in Knoxville. He is tasked with a wide variety of business functions as he expands his role, working closely with VP of operations Roth Edwards, CFO Sharon Draper, media relations coordinator Sharon Gross, VP of business and innovation Jake Tickle and chair Michael T. Strickland.
“I am incredibly excited to begin my full-time career at Bandit Lites,” said Chase M. Strickland. “I hope to build on past successes that have played a role in solidifying Bandit’s position as an industry leader, as well as provide a fresh outlook on opportunities going forward. I have grown up around this business and I am eager to see what lies ahead.”

UK - Long serving director of operations at the Birmingham Hippodrome, Mike Bradford, has joined Push The Button (PTB) as chief operating officer. Mike has been at the Birmingham Hippodrome for 21 Years and before that worked at Alton Towers as technical manager.
PTB managing director, Nick Ewins, says, “Looking ahead into 2023 and beyond, I am keen to ensure that we have the best possible standards in our business systems and operations which Mike will deliver. Mike’s arrival will also allow me to continue working with our customers, designing and delivering projects as PTB continues to grow.”
Mike adds, “I’ve worked with Nick and the team at PTB for more than two decades now, so I understand the business and I am delighted to be able to bring my experience to the company.”

USA - ESTA has announced that Katie Jang is the new Protocol editor, taking over the role when Beverly Inglesby retires in April.
Jang (née McCulloh) has over two decades of marketing, communications, and advertising experience in the live entertainment industry working with Broadway venues, touring productions, traveling exhibitions, regional theatres, and more. Additionally, she worked for both ESTA as a marketing executive and Lighting&Sound America as a media executive.
“I am thrilled to re-join the ESTA team in this capacity and look forward to new opportunities within the publication while maintaining the core of Protocol for our dedicated members and subscribers,” says Jang. “And I am honoured to carry on Beverly’s undeniably enormous legacy.”
Erin Grabe, Executive Director of ESTA, notes, “I am very excited to work with Katie again; her background and talent set her up for success. Beverly’s footprint on ESTA and Protocol is incalculable. Taking the publication from its humble beginnings to the technical powerhouse journal it is today, is largely owed to Beverly’s unmatched enthusiasm for this association and industry.”

USA - Richard Cadena, technical editor of Lighting&Sound America and Light and Sound International has joined the 3LR Design team as senior consultant. His focused discipline is lighting design, control systems, and electrical design and implementation, with a knowledge of multiple technical systems. His career has covered a variety of industry segments including concert/touring, television/film, theatre, architectural, and corporate events.
"As we continue to grow our global reach, we are absolutely thrilled to have Richard join the team," says 3LR Design global director of design, Joshua Allen. "His extensive experience and passion for design -- and guiding others through the design process - will be extremely valuable assets to our company and our clients."
In his role as senior consultant, Cadena will be collaborating in the design of architectural, marine, and performance/technical systems, and management of projects for clients, as well as serving as a mentor for new associate consultants and designers who are coming on board with 3LR.
"I am excited to join the 3LR Design team to contribute my skills and experience to the company," says Cadena. "I look forward to working with the team and with our clients to continue to bring to life some amazing new projects."

World - UK based A.C. Worldwide Group has announced a number of senior appointments as part of its strategy for continual growth.
In the UK, Phill Capstick, who has been with the business for 37 years, will step up to the role of CEO in UK based A.C. Entertainment Technologies and, following 25 years of success, Jonathan Walters becomes the company’s managing director.
In other UK news, Andy Dodd will be retiring from his executive role on the Board of Flashlight Ltd, but the Company says he has accepted a non-executive directorship so will still be helping the Flashlight team and their customers.
Across the Atlantic, the sales and distribution businesses operating as A.C. Americas (incorporating A.C. Lighting and A.C. Promedia) will be led by long-serving board member Phill Capstick who is appointed as CEO. Joining him on the board as president, after six years as vice president of business development, is Jean-Louis Blanchard, and following sales success for the company over the last 18 years, Fred Mikeska joins the board as executive vice president of sales.
The Group’s manufacturing operations in Canada, Spectrum Manufacturing is continuing to develop the successful Chroma-Q range of premium LED lighting products, and the company has announced that Gary Aird, who joined the business less than two years ago as vice-president of finance & administration, has been appointed to the board. All appointments are effective from 1 February.

USA - Elation Professional has announced the promotions of Eric Loader to global vice president of sales & marketing and John Dunn to director of sales – U.S.
ADJ Group President, Toby Velazquez, has worked closely with both Eric and John over many years in building the Elation brand. He comments, “Eric and I have a successful history spanning over three decades and John's contribution to Elation's ascent as a premier brand in the industry over the past decade has been extraordinary. We couldn’t ask for a stronger team to drive the company's growth and keep Elation at the forefront as an innovative, reputable, and leading brand in the industry.”
Eric Loader, with 17 years of dedicated service to Elation, has been instrumental in driving the company's growth and expansion. In his new role, he will continue to lead the company's strategy and growth vision through its subsidiaries and partners worldwide. He will also focus on strengthening distribution partner relationships and increasing brand awareness, key factors in ensuring continued growth for the company. Additionally, Eric will work to expand the availability of Elation's products to lighting designers, ensuring that customers around the globe have access to the innovative solutions they have come to expect from Elation.
Eric comments, "I am honoured to lead the global sales & marketing team at Elation. The success we have achieved is a testament to the incredible team we have built, as well as the support of our customers and designers who have helped elevate Elation to perfor

USA - Bandit Lites has announced the promotion of Mark Scherer to client representative. Scherer is the latest addition to the leadership team at Bandit where his recent adventures on the road will ‘offer a fresh perspective to clients as well as practical applications of the latest in lighting technology’.
Scherer joined Bandit Lites fresh out of college and quicklyestablished himself as a vital team member, working as a lighting tech on Chris Young, the dimmer tech for Carrie Underwood’s Cry Pretty Tour, crew chief on Alanis Morrisette’s Jagged Little Pill Tour, dimmer tech on Shinedown’s Revolution Live Tour, and most recently as the lighting director on Maren Morris’s Humble Quest Tour, as well as many other roles over time.
“I am excited to step into the role of Client Representative at a company that has taken care of me from the beginning,” said Scherer.
“Mark is an amazing person,” says Bandit chair Michael T. Strickland. “We all know that Mark will go a long way in his new role, helping propel Bandit even further into an already bright future. Thank you Mark and enjoy.”

USA - Pixellot has announced the appointment of Connor Thinnes as the vice president of sales in North America.
Connor brings considerable sales and marketing experience to Pixellot, with over 20 years of accumulated knowledge in these fields. He has worked in sales for 10 years and marketing for an additional 10 years. Prior to joining Pixellot, Thinnes held the position of VP of marketing at HomeTown Ticketing, a provider of digital ticketing services primarily for the high school market. In his new role, Connor will be responsible for leading both the club sales team and the Vidswap analytics sales team in the US.
"We are thrilled to welcome Connor to the Pixellot team," said David Shapiro, president of North America, Pixellot. "Connor's background in both sales and marketing, combined with his deep understanding of the High School and club sports market, make him a valuable asset to Pixellot's team.”