Spencer Beard and Alex Penn
UK - SSE Audio Group and its parent company Solotech have announced a new unified UK organisational structure aligned with Solotech’s global structure. As of 1 January 2020, SSE Audio, Wigwam, Capital Sound and BCS Audio will be collectively known as Solotech UK, under the new joint leadership of managing directors Alex Penn and Spencer Beard.
Alex Penn, SSE Audio’s former sales director, will lead the sales and systems integration (sales and installations) operations of Solotech UK. Spencer Beard, formerly managing director of Manchester-based Wigwam, will lead the live productions (hire) operations of the UK group. The move will see both Penn and Beard integrated into Solotech’s global senior management team.
Meanwhile, SSE Audio founder John Penn remains within the new Solotech UK structure as strategic advisor.
John Penn comments: “After all these years steering the SSE ship, the time has come for me to reduce my day to day role in the active management of the business. With this new role I can help the group to take the next steps in its development and I’m really pleased that Spencer and Alex are taking on the leadership of our ever-expanding Solotech UK group.”
A number of additional appointments have been made to strengthen the leadership team on a national basis, including a UK group sales manager, a UK group integration manager, a UK group operations manager and a business development manager.
“All of the new appointments have been made internally from the existing management of SSE Audio, Wigwam, Capital Sound and BCS Audio”, adds Beard.
Alex Penn says: “These changes are designed to unify the Solotech UK operations across the board. A strengthened middle management team will help us to manage continuing growth across multiple locations, while leveraging the strength of the brands we represent. It will also offer further opportunities for all members of our teams.”
“To round out this unified approach, we have aligned all our UK brand identities to the Solotech brand image, with more integrated logos that incorporate features of each brand combined with the inclusion of ‘A Solotech Company’ statement, fully establishing Solotech’s footprint in the UK,” notes Martin Tremblay, president and CEO of Solotech. “However, there is still a clear commitment to retain the brands of SSE Audio, Wigwam, Capital Sound and the recently acquired BCS Audio, in their various markets as we believe that our distinctive UK brands should continue to deliver to their respective client bases.
“This structure evolution is aligned with our strategic goals, but ultimately reconfirms that our clients are at the heart of our focus. I look forward to what’s to come for the Solotech UK group as well as Solotech worldwide.”
(Jim Evans)

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