We reveal a selection of key appointments and promotions across the AV industry from the end of April.
Absen Europe welcomes business development manager
Absen Europe has announced the appointment of Ross Burling to the newly created role of business development manager – UK, Ireland and Nordics. Ross will focus on OOH, retail, sports and rental markets, working with Absen’s UK team who provide technical, project management and pre-sales knowledge and support for customers in the UK.
Burling brings 35 years of sales experience to the role, with 18 of those dedicated directly to building relationships within the LED marketplace.
Commenting on the new role, Burling commented: “I’m delighted to be a part of the dynamic team at Absen Europe. Compared to ‘traditional’ names in the marketplace, Absen offers a more complete range of products for the markets it addresses; is more agile, flexible, and price competitive, whilst still delivering certified-quality products. The opportunity to be actively involved, competitive, and winning business again as a key part of an effective and energised team, with industry leading products at attractive market prices, reignites my passion for LED.”
Absen MD – Europe and Oceania, Ruben Rengel, added: “We are very excited to welcome Ross to our team at Absen. His experience of the DOOH space, his professionalism with clients and his strong network has proved extremely valuable within our team from day one. Not only will he bring a tighter focus on the quality of customer relationships to our sales team in UK, but he is also a great illustration of our ever-growing commitment in Europe.”
Atlona
Scott Smith has joined Atlona as commercial regional sales manager for Southeast US. Smith brings with him over 20 years of experience in the AV industry and will work closely with Atlona’s direct dealers, distributors and representatives to support and expand the company’s commercial business in the territory.
“The AV industry is changing faster than ever, as traditional AV infrastructures transition to increasingly incorporate IT-based technologies and standards,” said Smith. “Atlona is at the forefront of this major shift, leading the charge with solutions like the new OmniStream AV-over-IP family and Velocity cloud-enabled system control platform. I’m very excited about Atlona’s products and vision, and I look forward to working with our resellers and partners to bring these forward-looking innovations to customers.”
Smith joins Atlona from Crestron Electronics, where he achieved ‘top ten’ sales milestones in each of his 17 years with the company. In his most recent role as Senior Regional Manager, he led the Southeast team of regional managers, expanded the company’s dealer network and worked directly with key enterprise accounts.
“We’re thrilled that Scott is joining our team,” said Amelia Vrabel, Atlona’s national sales manager for the commercial market. “His extensive AV industry experience and proven track record of success will be invaluable to our company and our sales partners as we expand our innovative product offerings and market presence.”
Clear-Com
Simon Browne has been promoted to VP of product management at Clear-Com to continue to oversee product brand development, lifecycle management and positioning for all Clear-Com and now the Trilogy Communications products.
“Simon’s leadership has been a significant factor in our success in recent years, bringing stability and vision to our product development processes while pushing us forward to meet the exciting demands of the many markets we serve”, said Mitzi Dominguez, CEO of Clear-Com.
Peerless-AV
Cédric Leoture has been appointed channel account manager for Peerless-AV in France. Based near Paris, Cédric is responsible for stimulating existing channel relationships and driving new partner-based development activities to enhance Peerless-AV product knowledge and brand awareness in the French AV market.
“France is a major growth market for us so maintaining and strengthening our routes to market is crucial,” commented Melinda Von Horvath, VP of sales EMEA, Peerless-AV. “Cédric is a great new addition to the export sales team with an impressive background working with several of our French customers. His experience in AV and IT distribution means he has a solid understanding of channel sales and a high level of technical expertise, which will be instrumental in taking us to the next level in the region.”
“Having worked in distribution for almost 10 years, it was time to move manufacturer side,” said Leoture. “Peerless-AV is a respected brand with a strong, talented team, and many exciting opportunities to pursue with AV and IT resellers in France for high quality mounts, outdoor displays and LED solutions.”
Prysm
Tom Blenkin has been named Europe VP of sales responsible for advancing the company’s go-to-market strategy, business development, and supporting Prysm’s customers in Europe as the business expands in this key region.
“From the start, I have been very impressed with the strength of the Prysm brand and its technology. It has a very strong footing within the digital workplace market in North America and the potential to continue this growth in the European market is an exciting prospect,” said Blenkin. “The collaborative workspace market is growing at a rapid rate, particularly in Europe as businesses get to grips with the productivity and engagement benefits that it provides, and I can’t wait to spearhead this expansion deeper into Europe.”
“Tom brings an impressive track-record of driving sales in the European market to the Prysm team. His knowledge and experience in the software industry will ensure that our customers are deriving the best possible value from our solution,” said Jason Smith, senior vice president, global sales, Prysm. “We’re thrilled to have Tom bring his expertise to Prysm as we look to strategically grow our brand across the EMEA region.”
