Germany - GLP has taken a major step to boost its domestic sales force in the face of increasing product demand, by recruiting one of its former senior employees.

Dejan Hajdukovic, who had been part of the sales team between 2008-2012, returns as sales manager, and will be based at company HQ in Karlsbad, Germany.

Dejan brings a wide network of contacts, particularly in the lighting design and rental company sectors. Now he will team up with key account manager Oliver Schwendke to undertake responsibility for field sales, largely in the southern part of the country.

Having started his professional career in the hotel and catering industry, he says that lighting had always been a hobby "and in 2008 GLP offered me the opportunity to turn this into a profession".

Stated GLP managing director, Udo K

UK - Blackout has appointed new project manager, Alex Duke, to join its expert team of riggers, February 2016.

As the complete supplier of rigging and drapes to the live events industry, Blackout has recently worked on projects such as the BRIT Awards, the National Television Awards, London International Horse Show and The Sound of Music Live.

Duke has worked for Blackout as a freelancer since 2000 and now joins the team on a permanent basis; overseeing sight visits, quoting, logistics and overall project management. His 18 years of experience in the rigging industry has seen him work on the 2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony, Les Miserablés Korea, and international theatre productions.

Duke comments, "I am extremely excited to be given the opportunity to work at Blackout and be part of a fantastic team. I have very big shoes to fill but I'm loo

UK - John Hornby Skewes who started work in the UK musical instrument and pro audio industry in January 1960, and in 1965 founded John Hornby Skewes & Co, has announced his retirement.

"Now, after 56 years of activity, I am retiring from business," says Skewes. "On 31 March 2016 I am resigning as executive chairman of the company, and on 30 June 2016 my wife Madge and myself will be retiring from the board of directors.

"I take this opportunity to thank all the many employees, customers, suppliers, support service providers and members of the press who have worked with me over all these years. Without this support, John Hornby Skewes & Co Ltd would not have succeeded. My wife and I are very grateful.

"The company continues as a family owned and family run business with our son-in-law and daughter - Dennis and Linda Drumm - heading up a board of dedicated and experience

Germany - The European management team at Creative Technology has been reinforced with the appointment of Dieter E. Gross (MBA) as Business Development Director. He will take on the responsibility for business development and sales for Creative Technology's German operation.

Gross has had many successful years and experience in the industry, most recently as managing director of Gahrens+Battermann (Media Event Solutions) in Bergisch Gladbach. He previously held the position of managing director of the Berlin broadcast and concert production company EuroArts, and prior to that was head of media entertainment agency, E-Media in Berlin, part of the Docdata Group.

Gross comments, "Creative Technology, is a provider of sophisticated and creative technological solutions and works in an industry which is characterised by dynamic, rapid and constant change, and of course, fierce c

UK - Yamaha Music Europe has appointed Alex Warren as a new Commercial Audio sales representative for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Alex has worked in in professional audio since graduating in 2009 with a degree in Music and Audio Technology. Gaining considerable experience in both sales and hands-on technical installation, he has also been proactive in learning about the different pro audio markets and their business models.

He started with Yamaha at the beginning of February 2016 and has spent a number of weeks working closely with UK & RoI sales manager Terry Murphy, fully familiarising himself with all aspects of the role.

"Alex has brought knowledge, experience and enthusiasm, which we believe is the ideal combination for both Yamaha and our customers," says Terry. "Having worked with him for several weeks, I know he is an exceptional addition to the team. I loo

UK - Adrian Searle, former technical director at Stage Electrics, has joined technical production expert, Hawthorn to drive forward the ongoing development of its successful equipment hire service.

Adrian is based at Hawthorn's headquarters in Old Dalby, Leicestershire, and has been appointed to head up the company's seven day a week hire service. Working together with Hawthorn's head of hire, David Slater, Adrian will ensure the smooth running of the operation, identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and development, in line with Hawthorn's commitment to delivering an excellent customer experience.

Adrian joins Hawthorn at an exciting time for the hire service which has recently seen significant growth in commissions to supply equipment to the touring productions. Hawthorn has recently worked with renowned lighting designers, Mark Henderson on the Mark Knopfl

UK - Martin Audio has appointed Dom Harter as Managing Director with immediate effect.

An experienced business leader with a deep history and passion for pro audio, Dom's remit will be to build on the success of the Martin Audio brand and help grow this success across multiple markets worldwide.

Dom has an impressive CV for someone still relatively young, with multiple pro audio roles including serving as both Director of R&D as well as Sales Director with Turbosound before joining Harman's Mixer Group with several roles including Global Sales Director/VP for Harman's Mixer BU.

"Pro audio has been my entire professional career having worked for some of the best known pro audio brands alongside a number of prestigious installations, one off events and tours", said Dom.

"It is an honour to lead the Martin Audio team", he continued. "It is a brand of tremendous pedigr

Germany - Creative Technology (CT) has appointed Michael Grabinski as new business development manager for broadcast, event, sport and live entertainment. Grabinski will take responsibility for CT's new office in Berlin-Brandenburg which is located on the Filmpark Babelsberg site in the Babelsberg FX Centre.

Grabinski has had many successful years and experience in the media industry, most recently as business development manager of media event solution provider Gahrens+Battermann in Berlin.

He comments: "I am glad to contribute to the success of Creative Technology and to establish a new local office in Berlin-Brandenburg. I am convinced that CT can continue to expand the company's activities and that we can develop new regional markets with a strong local and personal presence. For Berlin this is especially important as more and more international clients choose Berlin a

UK - With a raft of new products announced at ISE, which are set to further strengthen Sennheiser's presence in the systems solutions market, Sennheiser UK has made two new appointments to its systems solutions team, Andy Dinneen and Jack Drury.

Joining Sennheiser UK as corporate account sales manager - meeting environment, Andy Dinneen brings a wealth of experience of selling conferencing technology to major clients during his time with LifeSize, a division of Logitech.

Answering to sales director - Pro A/V & systems integrator UK & Ireland Simon Holley, Andy will be spearheading the company's TeamConnect Wireless and other TeamConnect conferencing products in the corporate market.

"TeamConnect and TeamConnect Wireless bring a new level of flexibility and audio quality to a market that I am very familiar with" says Andy. "I am really looking forward to demonstrating h

UK - Hoist UK has welcomed Colin Jones to their sales team as technical sales engineer. Colin has been in the lifting industry for almost 25 years, having been previously employed by Chester Chain Co. where he started off on a temporary contract as a lifting equipment engineer, working his way through the ranks in various roles including site supervisor, & works manager, until he became General Manager in 2013.

He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience of standard & specialised lifting equipment, along with his formal LEEA (Lifting Equipment Engineers Association) qualifications.

"Having Colin join our team is a major asset for the company, as it is always difficult to employ a technical engineer with a proven track record in the industry" commented Hoist UK director Paul Jordan. "Colin has a vast knowledge of the lifting equipment sector, and he will be a re

UK - London and Dubai-based Maestra Group has announced five key staff appointments at the London office, which was launched in January and is headed by Justin Hammond. This follows a strong start to business by the new UK operation and a major new investment in audio and video technology.

"Equally important to investing in the right kit", comments Justin, "Is getting the right people on-board with the attitude and aspirations needed to run a busy, lively and creative environment dedicated to pushing the envelope in all aspects of live event production."

Emma Perrin is appointed general manager. Her role at Maestra London includes overseeing the busy day-to-day operations of the office and warehouse facility at Royal Arsenal in east London, supporting staff and clients, co-ordinating marketing and promotion and ensuring the company is running harmoniously and efficiently.<

UK - At the recent AGM of the Institute of Sound and Communications Engineers (ISCE) Phil Price MInstSCE was appointed President for a term of three years, taking over from Tony Smith.

At the same time, Helen Goddard FInstSCE, managing director of AMS Acoustics, was appointed Vice-President.

In his inaugural speech at the AGM, RCF executive, Phil Price, thanked the outgoing President, who remains on the Council and will serve as a Director of the Institute.

Setting out his goals over the next three years, Price said he faced a challenging period ahead. "I want to 'spearhead' much more awareness of the Institute from outside our membership," he said. "I also want to see the Institute become more prominent as a 'recognised' body for ensuring the correct standards are applied when projects and installations are competed."

Furthermore, he said he sought recognition fro

Europe - L-Acoustics has announced the appointment of Scot Wakelin as regional manager, responsible for the Balkans and Central European regions, as well as Israel, Turkey, Cyprus and Malta. The newly created position reflects the company's commitment to emerging markets in Europe, which continue to represent growth for the brand.

Wakelin, who holds degrees from the School of Audio Engineering and Brighton College of Technology, is based in the UK and brings over 20 years of experience in the professional audio industry. Most recently, Wakelin handled vertical sales for the Northern European Install and Touring Markets at the TC Group, as well as developing key partnerships for the group internationally. Previous positions include sales posts at Dimension Audio and Marquee Audio as well as Crest Audio.

Jochen Frohn, director of business development at L-Acoustics states, "

USA - Spurred by worldwide growth, Meyer Sound has announced a number of new hires and promotions, creating a technical solutions team that adds depth to the company's respected global technical solutions and support programme.

John Monitto, an 18-year veteran of Meyer Sound, has been appointed to the newly created position of director of technical solutions. In his new capacity, Monitto heads Meyer Sound's business development team, a group of key managers that partners with consultants and integrators to offer comprehensive project support from initial design through final commissioning.

"Over the years, John Monitto has continually demonstrated exceptional leadership and technical expertise," says John McMahon, vice president of solutions and strategy. "With Meyer Sound branching into new, exciting verticals, we're confident that John will maintain the continued success

UK - PRG XL Video has announced the addition of Emily Gibson as an account manager in its corporate events team.

Emily joins the company from Production Artworks where she has worked since 2011, and brings five years' experience in the field of creative video services to PRG XL Video, having worked in the sector since her graduation from Loughborough University.

During her time at Production Artworks, Emily specialised in creative applications of projection, including projection mapping and bespoke installations for conferences, exhibitions, award ceremonies, and experiential events. She now brings this expertise to PRG XL Video.

"I'm delighted Emily has agreed to join the team," said Guy Vellacott, director corporate group, PRG XL Video. "Emily's knowledge of the creative video market will be a great asset to the team, and help to expand our expertise in experiential

USA - Arena Seating's managing director Niall Gaffney is taking up a new opportunity, moving to become general manager of the New Jersey division of Arena Americas, April 2016.

With each of the Arena Americas divisions geographically split into four areas, Gaffney will be responsible for managing and delivering growth across the Northeast Division.

Niall comments, "I've enjoyed a fabulous time at Arena Seating, working within a great team of people and on some amazing events, such as the Commonwealth Games, which stands out as a personal highlight. The fact that I can continue to expand my horizons within the Arena Group is a testament to their expansion and I am relishing the prospect of continuing my time with the company in a new environment.

"I'm sure I'll have plenty to learn as I take on the vagaries between the US and UK markets, comparing how projects are deliv

Canada - Christie has announced that Gerry Remers, president and COO of Christie Digital Systems Canada Inc., will step down from his current role effective 8 July. Following his departure, Remers will continue to assist Christie as special advisor to Jack Kline, chairman, president and CEO of all of Christie's operating companies, worldwide, for an indeterminate period.

"Gerry has been, in numerous ways, a key architect in building Christie into the successful, global company it is today and while reluctant to part with such a valued contributor, I understand his motivation, which is to embrace new horizons," said Kline. "On a personal note, Gerry has become a close friend and I'm delighted that he will be advising me going forward, and I wish him continued success in his new career."

Most recently Remers was responsible for leading Christie's global engineering, quality

UK - PRG XL Video, the UK operation of global event technology provider Production Resource Group (PRG), has announced a new specialist video team in its Theatre department.

With the aim of growing its Theatre team's technical expertise in video, Gareth Jeanne returns to the UK from PRG's US operation, where he led XL Video's concert touring team and was more recently part of PRG's global Music Group. Gareth will take up the role of account director alongside experienced lighting specialist Peter Marshall.

The new role is a return to the theatre world for Gareth, as prior to joining XL Video, he was video project manager at Stage Sound Services.

Joining Gareth in the team is Oliver 'Ollie' Luff, who joined PRG XL Video in June 2015 as a technical project manager. Ollie takes up the role of senior account manager, and brings a wealth of experience from his time as a fre

UK - Straightpoint has named Simon Paine logistics supervisor, bringing to the role three decades of tier one supply chain experience from the automotive sector.

The force measurement, load monitoring and suspended weighing load cell manufacturer prides itself on short lead times, putting Paine at the forefront of one of the most important departments at the company.

He says, "That doesn't faze me at all. I am used to less than 24-hour lead times in certain instances. I intend to use the skills and tools that I have learnt during more than 30 years in logistics. Initially, I will review working practices and subsequently consult with the team to understand their issues, concerns and roadblocks."

Straightpoint director David Ayling adds, "Simon's recruitment follows suit with recent acquisitions in that he brings to the team perspective, experience and proven success as

UK - Leading provider of professional AV equipment, Audiologic, has appointed Steph Seaton in the role of Internal Sales Support. Steph joins the company from a background in chemical distribution where her role required high levels of organisation, communication and efficiency. Steph will be the first point of contact for Audiologic's customers, dealing with and directing sales traffic in order to best support every member of the team in its drive to provide excellent service.

Sales and Marketing Manager Andy Lewis welcomes Steph Seaton's appointment: "It's important to stress the value we place upon every appointment at Audiologic. As we continue to grow our business at a rapid rate, we need to ensure that our internal systems efficiently keep pace with the pressures created by increased demand. Steph joins us from a high-pressure industry where she demonstrated exactly the

USA - Green Hippo has announced that from April 2016, Cory Froke has joined the Green Hippo US team as product specialist, based in Burbank, California.

Cory has a strong background in the world of lighting and AV having previously worked at PRG Nocturne / PRG Concert Touring, Chaos Visual Productions, DWP Live and Entertainment Lighting Services (ELS).

Cory's role will be product specialist, meeting and engaging with both our current and potential US users; liaising with both development and the marketing team to ensure that the Hippotizer media server range and all its newest features are bought directly to US customers.

Green Hippo CEO, Emma Marlow stated, "The US is an important market for Hippotizer, and we're delighted to have someone of Cory's experience and knowledge in our US office. He has a real passion for media servers and understanding of how Hippotizer a

USA - Following the release of the SolaSpot Pro 1000 and SolaWash FX 1000 luminaires at the recent Pro Light & Sound Exhibition, High End Systems has announced several key promotions within their sales and management teams.

Jeff Pelzl has been promoted to general manager of High End Systems; a 26 year veteran of the company, Pelzl has worked in numerous roles within the organization throughout his tenure, most recently in marketing management and as sales manager for the Pacific Rim territory.

Additionally, in the restructuring of High End's sales organization, Sean Hoey is assuming a new position as US national sales manager, while Scott Kinnebrew will now be handling sales for the Northeast US region.

Jeff Pelzl commented, "I'm excited to take on this new role for the company, and believe my years of experience in many facets of our operation has more than prepared m

UK - PRG XL Video, the UK operation of global event technology provider Production Resource Group (PRG), has announced an addition to its corporate account management team.

Thomas Walsh joins PRG XL Video from Hawthorn, where he was a project manager, supplying multi-discipline production services to a variety of events. Events Thomas has delivered include the Coronation Festival Gala at Buckingham Palace.

Prior to working at Hawthorn, Thomas graduated from Leeds Beckett University with an honours degree in Creative Music and Sound Technology, and subsequently gained broad industry experience working as a technician and production manager for Aztec Event Services.

Thomas will report to Guy Vellacott, PRG XL Video's director corporate group, who comments, "We're really pleased to welcome Thomas Walsh to the team. He has a strong technical knowledge of event production a

UK - Event production and design company, Light Motif, has appointed Laura Hatton as account director. Laura, previously from MELON Events and Mask events brings her extensive experience in the event industry to Light Motif's rapidly expanding team, joining the creative team in producing highly designed events. She will be looking after some of their key client accounts, providing the same levels of bespoke service and creativity to a large number of events.

Light Motif is a young company made up of creative individuals with extensive experience in the event industry. Emphasis is placed on the quality of bespoke design for each event, combined with complete integrity in the execution and integration of all design and technical aspects, to produce events that are guaranteed to impress.

On joining Light Motif, Laura says, "I'm really excited about working with Rob and the te

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