In the inaugural Inavate 40 Under 40 list we focus on impressive AV professionals shaping, leading and often disrupting the industry across EMEA.
The 2019 Inavate 40 Under 40 class is a talented bunch that includes a large number of company founders. What is clear from the entries and testimonials is many of these founders had great ideas and impressive technical capabilities but zero experience running a business. The list includes many people that have diversified their skills, adapted and learnt quickly to create very successful companies.
While women are underrepresented, they form a formidable group, including c-level executives and people who have racked up big achievements both inside and outside their profession in their 40 (or less) years.
Sporting accomplishments also regularly featured, reflecting the importance this generation places on healthy lifestyles and ambitious endurance challenges.
Will Cavendish
Pufferfish
Founder & Chief Technical Officer
Navigating challenging financial markets during the company’s 15 years in business, Cavendish has steered the company toward a software and content service led enterprise while expanding globally. He takes pride in creating great technology and encouraging new ideas and skills.
Marco Cella
Prase Media Technologies
Multimedia System Designer / Application Support
After starting in a junior marketing role, Cella moved over into system design, overcoming insecurities about technical abilities on the way. Cella has racked up experience on prestigious projects across Italy taking pleasure in his work and work relationships.
Victoria Chernih
Sennheiser
Communications Manager North & East Europe
Chernih has made the AV industry home after transferring from lifestyle and gaming tech industries. She has chalked up notable successes including growing coverage by 8% year on year, and increasing the number of potential contacts by 65%.
Mark Childerhouse
Pioneer Group
Sales Director
Part of Team GB’s 2009 Freestyle Kayaking Squad and a player for Maidenhead RFC, Childerhouse has applied a passion for sport to his career in AV to work with a number of high-profile sports clubs and increase fan engagement. This has contributed to a more than 35% growth for Pioneer Group.
Carlos Martin Cruzado
Genuix
Telecommunications Engineer
Cruzado overcame the economic crisis to start a new company and in the last year has opened new facilities including a new showroom. Currently finishing the biggest project in the company’s history, Cruzado puts some of his success down to perseverance and patience.
Miles Donovan
Christie
Senior Channel Development Manager, EMEA
During his eight years at Christie, Donovan has risen through the company’s ranks quickly and worked with channel partners and end customers to rack up significant revenue growth over key product lines. He has increased the profile of the company in new territories and markets.
Tom Fenton
Peerless-AV
Business Development Manager, EMEA
Fenton has worked tirelessly with LED brands and customers to ensure that the company offers high levels of expertise to the installers working in a space that lacks standardisation. Product divisions under Fenton have contributed significantly to the growth of Peerless-AV.
Paul Fraser
AVT
CEO
Fraser has led AVT from a single branch to a company that operates across sub-Saharan Africa and across many verticals. He has successfully navigated economic uncertainly and pressure from the IT industry. Has shown agility to expand from traditional AV to a supplier of digital signage for the retail sector.
Thomas Fraser-Bacon
Allsee Technologies
Marketing Director
Fraser-Bacon has risen through the company from marketing assistant to director and now helps formulate marketing strategies that shape the commercial direction of the company. Following the mantra of Allsee founder and MD, Fraser-Bacon always puts the customer first in marketing and support.
Jenny Hicks
Midwich Group
Group Head of Technology
With a background in AV sales, Hicks now identifies new technology categories for the Midwich Group. A thirst for knowledge and education has helped Hicks rise through the ranks to her current global managerial position.
Andrew Hirst
Visavvi
Communication & Collaboration Systems Architect
Instrumental in creating a development house to support cloud video collaboration platform Convene. He applied perseverance and commitment to navigate challenges in Convene development and solved unique challenges for high profile clients.
Henrik Järvinen
Atea Finland
Technical Specialist
Järvinen has developed new tools to increase understanding of control systems and recruited new professionals. Instrumental in delivering a key project for a Helsinki college and in his spare time has made two music albums.
Laila Hede Jensen
Unilumin Group
Vice President of Europe
Has directly contributed to the expansion of LED within EMEA, building Unilumin across the region. A strong voice in the industry, Hede Jensen regularly speaks at panels and seminars across the world. Has competed at a national level in swimming and was a semi-professional handball player.
James Keen
Tripleplay
Group Head of Marketing
Keen simplified messaging to drive understanding of the Tripleplay brand and saw YoY business growth of 52% in 2018. His focus on online presence and SEO have boosted global turnover.
Richard Knott
Shure UK
Market Development Manager
Throughout his career Knott has enjoyed a challenge. In his current role he has engaged and strengthened Shure’s relations with AV and IT managers through training and education. An accomplished DJ and music producer.
Yuval Kramer
Kramer Electronics
Director, Head of Audio Division
Born deaf, Kramer gained his hearing at the age of 24 but still became a world class musician and now head of the audio division at Kramer Electronics where he has transformed the company’s offering.
Daniel Lee
Hewshott International
Managing Director
In the five years Lee has headed Hewshott in EMEA he has set up a degree apprenticeship scheme to tackle the lack of a clear academic path into AV. Challenges convention to introduce new ideas.
Christian Liebmann
prodyTel Distribution
Technical Director
After joining prodyTel in 2012 Liebmann held a number of positions and is now on the management board. He helped establish the brand in the German market and is one of the most experienced Biamp programmers in Germany.
Greg Mack
Vivitek
Sales Manager, UK and Ireland
Mack took the leap from a large sales team at Christie to join Vivitek. Revenue for Vivitek’s UK business has grown over the last year after Mack launched new products and solutions into the channel as well as a refocus of the UK projector business.
Simina Mazureac
Legrand Integrated Solutions
Marketing & Communication Manager
Mazureac was instrumental in the successful rebranding of the company including new website, press releases and online campaigns that encompassed starting a social media presence from scratch. An innovative approach to development has improved communication with clients.
Elliott Moores
Visavvi
Head of Systems Installation
Quickly stepped into a management role in a huge integration firm and fostered a collaborative approach that has helped Moores implement changes that have supported rapid growth of Visavvi clients and standardised project work worldwide.
Kay Mumford
Datapath
Marketing Communications Manager
Mumford entered the AV industry with no prior understanding to head up a marketing team that supports Datapath globally. Success has come from increasing personal and team knowledge to communicate effectively with technical audiences.
Raj Patel
Vanti
Director
Incredibly talented in technical capabilities, Patel had to work hard to add management skills to build a company. Vanti’s success in vast and high-profile projects under Patel’s direction is testament to his accomplishments in all areas of business.
Jordan Pattison
Tripleplay
UK Sales Manager
A “human approach” has helped Pattison build strong relationships across the channel and help Tripleplay win sizable commercial deals with sporting and commercial clients. Also a keen endurance athlete.
Mike Ross
BlueBox Technology Solutions
Director / Owner
Navigated cultural and industry differences to move from the USA to the UK and become a key consultant for visitor attraction. Ross was shortlisted for Inavation Awards Consultant of the Year in 2019; he brings creativity to the projects he manages.
Steve Royans
Snelling Business Systems
Sales Director
Royans took on a directorial role in 2016 at a time when Snelling Business Systems was diversifying outside of its core focus on education projects and was instrumental in equalising and increasing the company’s revenue streams
Johannes Ryks
eyefactive
Co-Founder & CEO
Ryks founded eyefactive in 2016 and has pioneered the development of object recognition for large touchscreens. In 2009 created what was at the time the world’s largest multitouch enabled screen in just 5 weeks.
David Savage
ITSL
Director
Founder of ITSL, Savage is comfortable taking on diverse roles, from product design to sales and marketing. He overcame huge challenges to the company after the departure of his business partner. Recent successes include an operating theatre control suite.
Chris Smith
Involve Visual Collaboration
Head of Channel Sales
Smith has honed his own sales technique that he is comfortable with and concentrated on relationship building to increase turnover as well as expand the company’s core offering. Sales person of the year in 2018.
David Spence
Datapath
Director of Customer and Technical Service
Spence has built up a global support team at Datapath, launched a commissioning service, implemented processes to track customer projects and assisted with creation of a CTS approved training course. He values customer engagement that reflects on good support from Datapath.
Ben Spurgeon
Audiologic
Senior Application Engineer
Spurgeon saw the potential of the stadium sector for Audiologic and was able to bring his own prior contacts in the sector to his role with the company. Operates well in high pressure environments and says client satisfaction is important.
Mark Stanborough
Cabletime
Sales Director EMEA & APAC
Responsible for winning a number of key projects for Cabletime, Stanborough has built up strong relationships with the company’s overseas distribution partners. He has increased the range of vertical and geographic markets the company operates in.
Kasper Stouenborg
Stouenborg
CEO and Lighting Designer
Has secured and worked on huge projects that would seemingly be beyond the reach of a company with seven permanent employees. Instrumental in Stouenborg’s numerous project successes.
Araceli Vaello
Volfoni 3D
Chief Commercial Officer, Volfoni Group
Rose from sales assistant in 2012 to hold her current C-level position today, Vaello believes there is something to learn from every role no matter how minor. Persists at challenges and doesn’t stay in her comfort zone.
Madeleine Vining
Royal Society of Medicine
Senior AV Technician
Saw off 300+ applicants for first role at RSM and has led a podcast initiative to increase views of RSM videos. Has tackled unconscious bias in the industry against women to become an industry voice on the topic.
Mark Wadsworth
Digital Projection
Vice President of Global Marketing
Wadsworth is ensuring a seamless global experience by aligning the Digital Projection brand across the world. Under his direction the Digital Projection share of voice in EMEA has increased dramatically.
Francis Williams
Pioneer Group
Technical Director
Has always been ambitious in his goals and during his time at Pioneer, Williams has headed up design and delivery of some of the company’s biggest projects. He always pushes the boundaries of what he and the company can offer.
Adam Wilson
Intevi
Director & Co-Founder
Wilson started Intevi eight years ago and has been responsible for all sales and commercial aspects of the business, chalking up a 98% growth since 2017. Started Intevi with no loans, investment or debt. The company now has four global offices and nearly 40 staff.
Matthias Woggon
eyefactive
CEO / Co-Founder
Woggon co-founded eyefactive straight out of university with no experience of running a business. Took on responsibility for marketing and increased global visibility of the company’s products. Proud to have gained the trust of world-renowned companies.
Jim Young
Sparq
Head of Creative Technology
Young started in the company as a warehouse technician. Now under Young’s direction, the Creative Technology team has doubled in one year and he works to make sure the company stays ahead of the curve. A spokesperson for the company.
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