Collaboration software provider Pexip has appointed Åsmund O Fodstad, formerly the company’s EVP of global sales and marketing, to the position of CEO. Former CEO and co-founder Simen Teigre will join the company’s board of directors and, through a transition period, serve as special advisor to the CEO.
Pexip has experienced rapid growth and adoption of its collaboration software worldwide since the company’s incorporation in April 2012, with the Pexip Infinity solution being taken up by Fortune 500 companies, leading education institutions and public organisations. Customers use of Infinity has doubled over the past six months to a rate of 100 million minutes per annum. Recurring revenues are growing at more than 300% year-on-year: Pexip has presence in 15 countries and customers in more than 50 countries around the world.
Fodstad joined Pexip in April 2013 and has been EVP of global sales and marketing since January 2014. During his career he acquired 20 years’ leadership experience working at companies such as Tandberg, REC, and projectiondesign, and as general manager for SuperOffice. He has extensive experience building global sales, marketing and distribution networks. Based in Hong Kong, he developed Tandberg’s APAC business and led REC’s global sales beyond a billion dollars. In his New York-based sales leadership role at Pexip, he built a high-performing global sales operation and delivered strong commercial results for the company.
“I am deeply honoured to be appointed CEO,” said Fodstad. “Pexip is enjoying tremendous momentum in the market, and in my new role I am fully committed to taking Pexip to even greater heights.”
“It has been an incredible journey with the Pexip team over the past three-and-a-half years, building Pexip from the ground up to become a global disruptor in collaboration software,” said Simen Teigre, co-founder and former CEO of Pexip. “But being CEO of a high-tech startup is like running a sprint where the distance is a marathon – the race is thus best run as a relay. As CEO, I believe the time is now right to pass on the leadership baton.”
“Pexip’s results under Simen’s leadership have been impressive,” said Bengt Thuresson, chairman at Pexip. “He has done a stellar job building the company and leading the Pexip team up to this stage. With a strong management team in place, the strongest CEO candidate for the next phase was already onboard. We are extremely excited that Åsmund has accepted the challenge to lead the company through the next phase as CEO.”
Pexip Infinity allows organisations to offer video, audio, and web-based collaboration solutions to every employee via existing IT and cloud infrastructures. Built on a purely software-based and scalable architecture, the platform is quick and easy to install, deploy, operate, and manage, allowing customers to capitalise on their existing investments and create seamless virtual collaboration environments. It can work with any platform including Microsoft Lync, Skype for Business, Skype, other soft clients, audio or videoconferencing systems, every major web browser, or personal devices such as smartphones, tablets, and PCs.
