Electrosonic has announced that its co-founder, Robert (Bob) Simpson has passed away peacefully at the age of 82. Simpson was an AV icon who founded Electrosonic on March 3 1964 alongside Denis Naisbitt and Michael Ray.
In a statement released by Electrosonic it sais; 'The world has lost a visionary and a kind and thoughtful man. Bob shaped and formed what we know as the contemporary audiovisual and experiential technology industry, it’s now commonplace to expect jaw-dropping, large-scale and complex audiovisual installations in theme parks, museums, corporate campuses and cultural landmarks but that wasn’t always the case. There always has to be a first to do something extraordinary and Bob was the pioneer that took the first step.'
Ewan Smith Electrosonic’s global president and MD added; “It is heartbreaking to have heard the news this week, my heartfelt condolences to Bob’s family and his loved ones and to every individual that had the privilege to meet, to grab a drink with or if you’re lucky enough to work with Bob. We have lost such an incredible soul and an icon in the industry.”
Electrosonic’s very first office consisted of two unfurnished rooms above a potato stall in the Greenwich Vegetable Market. With the Simpson at the helm Electrosonic grew to become a global company and is synonomous for its involvement in the world’s biggest theme parks, entertainment figures and fortune 500 organisations with offices in the UK, US, Europe, Middle East and Asia. From its inception up until 2004, Simpson served as chairman of Electrosonic Ltd and from 2005-2015 served as a director of and advisor to the international Electrosonic Group up until his retirement in 2016.
Philip Aminoff, chairman of Helvar Merca, (the ownership group of Electrosonic) added; "Of all the people I have known, Bob, through his ability to combine deep professionalism with such a good sense of what it means to be a human being, has had a special position in my life as a valued person to look up to.”
Among Simpson's many awards achieved, he was given life membership status to the SMPTE, a fellow of the BKSTS, awarded the Infocomm Distinguished Achievement award and in 2017 awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for services to the AV industry (see pic below).
