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UK - GDS has announced the appointment of Lorraine Nugent as business development manager for its architectural lighting team. Lorraine is a highly qualified and widely respected architectural interior designer, who has worked with a host of high profile companies including Concord Lighting and Jaguar Cars. Her role will comprise a whole-project approach which will see her involved on both the sales and design side of the team.
Matt Lloyd, managing director, GDS, comments, "As we expand the scope of applications for GDS products, it's essential that we bring on board team members with both technical expertise and specific market experience. Lorraine is exactly the person to take GDS's products further and deeper into the architectural lighting sector.”
Lorraine Nugent looks forward to her role, "GDS's status in the theatre-lighting world is of the highest order and

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South Africa - Dylan Jones has joined DWR Distribution as both draftsman and IT support, and in time will also assist in media server development.
“I love drawing,” said Dylan, “It’s taking nothing and making it into something. Drawings help you set up everything before you do a project or event, and saves so much time.
“Over the last year, Dylan had attended Vectorworks training sessions at DWR and on all occasions, was one of the top students. When our previous draftsman at DWR, Callie du Preez, let us know that he wanted to further his studies in a different direction, Dylan immediately came to mind. He fits in like one of the family. We will all miss Callie but know that he is a talented individual who will hopefully always be in our lives and we wish him well.”
(Jim Evans)

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South Africa - DWR Distribution has appointed Lee Baird as marketing coordinator. No stranger to the industry, Lee worked alongside her partner, Rob Young, at Theatre and Studio for six years, during which time she visited various theatres in the country and maintained the day-to-day running of the office. “Working with Rob was the best part of the job,” smiles Lee. “And it’s great to work alongside him once again at DWR.”
Lee will be positioned in the marketing department and she will also be instrumental in helping to arrange projects like DWR’s Mediatech exhibit (Johannesburg, 19-21 July 2017), fundraisers for the SOS Charity fund and ensuring the industry has t-shirts to wear!
“It’s really an honour to welcome Lee to our team,” said Duncan Riley of DWR. “She is an organised and diligent person whom we have known for a few years now, and I

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USA - Mojo Barriers US has appointed Jordi van Berkum as the company’s new US manager, 6th Feb 2017.
Since the acquisition of Mojo Barriers by EVAGO Group on 18 January 2017, CEO Alex Borger has been taking on board the ambitions of the new owners and visiting the global network of offices with them. A trip to the USA in January with EVAGO CFO Lorenz Schmid resulted in the appointment of Jordi van Berkum.
Alex comments, “Jordi’s experience working for Mojo Barriers gives us confidence that his understanding of our high quality delivery and service values will be at the core of his management strategy. He’s a fantastic addition to our management team who will help to shape the US company to make the best of new opportunities that arise as part of EVAGO Group in a dynamic market sector.”
Mojo is currently supplying crowd barriers/barricades to 2017

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UK - Following a significant period of growth, Push the Button (PTB) has added two new faces to its team ahead of what promises to be a busy 2017.
Jonny Jull joins from trade distributors Batmink and previously worked at Solutions AV, he understands the demands and pace of the industry and will be a welcome addition to the team. Jonny says, “I hope to use the experience from both companies in my new role at PTB. I am looking forward to it and the challenges ahead.”
Ben Noble is a well-recognised figure within the entertainment industry. He started work in the West End before working at Stage Electrics for the best part of a decade and joins PTB from GDS, where he was sales manager for UK & Europe. Ben says, “I look forward to bringing my experience, commitment and energy to this role. PTB are renowned for a customer orientated approach to the delivery of exc

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USA - Lumileds has announced the appointment of Mark Adams as chief executive officer. Adams most recently served as president of Micron Technology, Inc. a Fortune 200 global manufacturer of advanced memory solutions, from 2012 to 2016.
“I am very excited to join the team at Lumileds and have the support of Philips and Apollo to execute the company’s vision” said Mark Adams. “We will build upon Lumileds’ robust innovation pipeline, technology leadership and strong customer base to drive Lumileds’ future growth.”
Between 2008 and 2012, Adams held the position of vice president, worldwide sales at Micron. He also served in executive roles at Lexar Media, Inc., Creative Labs, Inc. and NCR Corporation.
Lumileds is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Philips. Philips announced in December 2016 that it signed an agreement to sell a majority interest in Lu

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Australia - Launched this week is Additive, a new design collaboration that offers “a fresh take on creative direction and production design”.
Based in Melbourne, Additive consists of Ben “Bosco” Shaw, Paul Lim and Tom Wright who between them offer a wide range of skill sets. After years of working on productions and festivals around the world, these three experienced professionals, and close friends, have joined forces to harness their collective industry experience and technical knowledge.
"Whether it’s an innovative design, a complex activation or an expansive festival, concert, theatre production or event, we offer experience, knowledge and creativity to deliver an elegant solution tailored to any budget or timeline,” commented Tom Wright. “Additive is a design and technical production house made up of good guys who want to see your project evolve and

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UK - London and Dubai based creative and technical event production and management specialist Maestra has announced more new staff having completed a successful first year of business which exceeded all expectations!
The London operation starts 2017 with four new individuals joining Justin Hammond, Emma Perrin and the team based in their newly expanded premises in Woolwich, east London.
Emma Perrin, Maestra London’s general manager comments, “It’s really exciting to welcome new faces to the company and each was picked for their skill sets, lively personalities and ability to think ‘out-of-the-box’ – all the attributes needed to deliver the specific Maestra event management and production experience that is at the core of our values".
Kate Jarvis joins as a senior project manager who will be exploring and pitching ideas as well as managing and co-ordin

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UK - Following a period of substantial growth, creative technical event production expert Hawthorn has strengthened its sales team with a series of new appointments.
Claire Ledward and Eliot Sargeant have joined the company as business development managers with Ieva Gudaite being welcomed as sales executive. Based in London and the Midlands, the trio bring more than 18 years of sales experience to the business.
Claire brings 12 years of sales experience to the team, spanning a variety of sectors including media, IT, telecoms and the events industry. Prior to joining Hawthorn, Claire worked at a global conference and exhibition company for six years, based out of the Dubai office where she was responsible for launching b2b events in challenging markets around the Middle East and North Africa.
Eliot joins the company from Chillisauce Events where he worked as senio

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UK - Adlib has appointed Tony Griffiths as head of special projects. Tony is a popular and well known industry figure with extensive knowledge in the field of theatrical mechanical engineering.
He brings a focus on this specific area, plus a diverse knowledge in acoustic treatments and solutions with the additional experience in unique fabrics for performance, production and installations to the Liverpool based company. All further enhancing the dynamics and portfolio of this busy sector of Adlib’s business.
“Tony is a perfect complement to the team,” says Adlib director John Hughes, “bringing expertise, experience and an impressive array of contacts in these multiple dedicated fields which will sit in parallel with the audio, lighting and visual elements of our work”.
He adds that Tony, as a universally well-liked and respected individual, has “the

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Finland - Ilpo Martikainen, the founder of Genelec and a pioneer in active audio monitoring has passed away on Monday, at the age of 69 after struggling with a long-term illness.
The company has issued the following statement, “During recent years, Ilpo focused on involving the next generation. His children Juho Martikainen, Mikko Martikainen and Maria Martikainen have grown up as part of the Genelec family. They have been closely involved in developing the company into the leading global brand in active audio monitoring as members of the Genelec Board since 2001. The children will continue in ownership of Genelec together with the other board members Topi Partanen and Ritva Leinonen who have made their lifework with Genelec. Ritva Leinonen continues as the Chairperson of Genelec Board.
“We warmly thank Ilpo’s family for supporting him in being an essential part

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USA - EAW has named Nancy Dias to the newly created position of customer experience coordinator. Part of the global sales team, Dias is tasked with overseeing the customer service experience of all EAW customers while also providing visibility of that experience to the in-house EAW team in Whitinsville.

"I've only been working with Nancy for a short time, but she continues to impress me and the team with her drive and enthusiasm," explains Rusty Waite, VP of global sales for EAW. "In this role she has both external and internal responsibilities that further our commitment to our customers to make every experience with EAW a positive one."

The customer experience coordinator reports directly to Waite and will aid and assist the sales, marketing, service and operations teams to ensure the EAW customer base continues to grow. Dias started working for EAW in 2014 in production

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USA - Biamp Systems, a leading provider of innovative, networked media systems, today announced that Steve Metzger, president and CEO, is stepping down and Matt Czyzewski, COO, is designated his successor effective January 1, 2017. Steve is leaving to relocate his family back to his beloved Southeast.

During Steve's seven years of leadership, Biamp has grown significantly, and has introduced a wide range of groundbreaking and award-winning product families and services. With a stalwart focus on people, quality, and service, he leaves Biamp in Matt's capable hands well-positioned for continued innovation and growth.

"Biamp is, without question, the best company I could have ever hoped to be associated with, much less lead. It is full of smart, caring, and hardworking people who are laser-focused on the customer experience," shared Steve Metzger, president and CEO, Biamp Sys

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UAE - The eclipse Group has today announced, with the greatest sadness, the death of its founder and chairman, Mark Brown, who passed away yesterday evening following a short battle with cancer.

eclipse Group CEO, Simon Ransom said: "eclipse has lost its founder, a crazy entrepreneur with an infectious personality and quirky way of being that very few people could fail to like, and all of us feel that loss deeply today. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Mark closely have lost a dear friend and leader. Mark leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his personality will forever be part of the foundations of eclipse.

"Mark was a colourful and uncompromising man whose legacy will have a lasting impact on our industry and the people working within it. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Mark's family and loved ones; he will be gre

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UK - VER and Aurora have announced the appointment of Ian Charlampowicz to the position of business development manager on their UK lighting team.

Armed with in-depth equipment understanding plus an extensive knowledge of the television and live event markets, Ian joins the VER/Aurora Lighting sales team to further enhance the support and service enjoyed by the company's growing clientele.

An accomplished industry professional with broad experience across all areas of the entertainment lighting business, Ian Charlampowicz has a wealth of understanding of equipment, systems and the entire production process. Ian has a graduate degree in theatre design and has worked in the theatrical lighting field for many years supporting lighting designers and production teams with project management services on a variety of large scale productions.

Head of lighting Europe VER and Au

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UK - The Association of Lighting Designers (ALD) has presented White Light's Jason Larcombe with a lifetime membership. The award, which recognises Jason's considerable contribution in a variety of committee roles, was presented at this year's 24th annual Lighting Lunch, held at the Park Plaza Hotel in London's West End.

The ALD Lifetime membership recognises the contribution members have made to the running of the Association. Jason stepped down from his role on the executive committee earlier this year following a 19-year tenure in which he helped shape the association from various committee positions. Jason first joined the association as a student of Rose Bruford College and amongst his ALD executive roles he held the position of deputy chair until 2011.

Rick Fisher, currently the ALD's vice president, held the role of chairman through the 1990s and into the new centur

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Denmark - As of 1 January, 2017, co-owner Michael Jarl Christensen will replace Tue S. Andersen as CEO of Neets A/S, one of Scandinavia's leading suppliers of intelligent AV solutions.

The Denmark-based company, which produces intelligent and intuitive AV systems for classrooms and conference rooms worldwide, has been run by Tue S. Andersen since its founding. However, on 1 January, the retiring CEO, who developed the first products in his kitchen, will take up the position of board chairman of the company he started nearly 18 years ago.

Since producing its first simple product back in 1999, the vision for Neets has always been to create AV equipment that makes life easier for teachers, speakers, and communicators. The earliest products did this through their simple design based on a recognizable system of buttons, while today's focus is on advanced, intelligent, and, not

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UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies Ltd. (AC-ET) has announced that Mike Docksey has joined the team in a key external UK sales role.

Mike is a well-known face in the industry and brings a wealth of experience to the company. Having spent many years touring with live events around the globe, he joined the HSL Group in 2005 as part of the projects team. Mike enjoyed almost ten years at HSL before moving to Adlib, as head of their lighting and video departments.

Jonathan Walters, AC-ET's sales and purchasing director, said, "Mike's knowledge, enthusiasm and contacts will be a huge asset to us. His background means he'll be able to understand exactly what AC-ET customers are looking for and explain the full range of products we supply, whether that's lighting, rigging, audio, video or cabling and other consumables."

Mike will be based primarily in the North of England, a

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USA EAW has announced the addition of Paul Lamarre to the growing sales team. Lamarre is tasked with managing sales and support for future and existing customers in the Southern US. The announcement was made by James Newhouse, North American director of sales for EAW.

"Adding Paul to the team furthers our commitment to interacting directly with our dealers," explains Newhouse. "He joins a team of individuals that are responsible for not only expanding sales and the reach of the EAW brand, but also continuing our efforts to work with each dealer directly to ensure that they receive the support to service their projects."

Prior to joining EAW, Lamarre was regional sales manager for EDA Pro AV, based in Duluth, Georgia and served as general manager of Sam Ash Music in the greater Nashville area. Lamarre also served the US Army for nine years prior to beginning his career in p

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USA - Sensaphonics has announced the hiring of Dr. Jenna Paley to promote hearing wellness and business development. Paley received her doctorate in audiology from Indiana University, and is founder of Project Decibel, an organization dedicated to educating musicians and others on how to protect their hearing health while still enjoying loud sound on stage, in the audience, or anywhere in their lives.

"Hearing wellness is something I'm very passionate about, which is a perfect match with Sensaphonics," she says. "When we spoke about the best ways to work together on our common goals, it was clear that joining forces was the solution. Working with a company that shares my commitment to hearing health is a dream come true for me."

At Sensaphonics, Paley will bring her own perspective and expertise to the company's ongoing mission to help musicians maintain their hearing well

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UK - Robert Simpson, co-founder of Electrosonic, has been awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the New Year's 2017 Honours list for services to the audio-visual industry. The award was made in recognition of Robert's unwavering commitment to the audio and video industry over the past 52 years.

Over the last five decades Robert has helped to define what we now know as the audio and video industry. In his early years, working alongside co-founders Denis Naisbitt and Michael Ray, Electrosonic developed products associated with slide projection and 'multi-image' presentation. Often working from a blank page, on electronic designs that had never been done before, often in countries far from home, they created invention after invention for one-of-a-kind experiences and attractions in museums, theme parks and cultural landmarks.

Right from the start Elect

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UK - OHM (UK) has named Kaushal Garg as its new director of sales for Middle East and Africa. In his position, Mr Garg will be responsible for overseeing all sales activities in the regions, supporting OHM UK's existing legacy and expansion in these markets.

Mr Garg brings more than 20 years of experience in the professional audio industry, having begun his career with Bose in 1998 growing through the ranks from technical manager, national sales manager, to divisional manager. Kaushal has also worked with Harman Pro where he managed sales at a national level, developing strategy that grew business to new heights, before moving up to the position of divisional manager-Middle East and Africa at Bose Professional.

"OHM (UK) has a reputation for quality, British manufactured products with innovative design, clearly understanding the evolving requirements of the pro audio marke

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UK - Damon Crisp has been appointed as Orbital Sound's new Field Sales Representative to expand the reach of Orbital's busy sales department into new markets around the UK.

As Nexo's main UK dealer, Damon will be concentrating on maximising the potential this exciting brand offers, says Orbital. With new product launches scheduled for later this year, Damon will be at the forefront of promoting these new and existing products UK wide.

Orbital's Andy Simmons commented: "Damon has a wealth of experience in the industry and his contact list is equally as impressive. He also brings experience of new markets to Orbital which will only go to enhance our overall performance within various sectors. With our status as Nexo's Main UK Dealer we needed someone of Damon's calibre to support our goals for this product and I can only see this going in one direction. His enthusiasm is inf

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China - Nexo has a new face in the Far East, as Michel Brouard steps into the new role of business development manager for East Asia.

Industry veteran Brouard joined Nexo 18 months ago with responsibility for Greater China. His remit has been increased to include Japan, South Korea and Mongolia, as well as China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

"Michel will play a critical role in increasing the presence and success of Nexo in Japan and south Korea," says Nexo CEO Jean Mullor. "Keeping his responsibility for China, he will now be active in other Asian territories that he knows well, working closely with Denis Baudier, sales director of Nexo."

(Jim Evans)

  1. Genelec appoints industry figures to key roles
  2. Klas Dalbj
  3. Key New Year appointments at Solid State Logic
  4. Peerless-AV names DACH area manager
  5. MUSIC appoints business development directors
  6. Jim Mack appointed Ashly Audio CEO
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