INNOVATOR PROFILES
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ANDREAS ‘ANDI’ GALL Job title Chief digital officer Company d&b group
What are you currently working on? At the moment, I’m a ‘hunter and gatherer’. I like to think of myself as a human potential treasure hunter. In my previous job at Red Bull, I learned to tap into the implicit knowledge of employees. In doing so, I was amazed by the brilliant ideas and visions within the collective. Together with my team, I developed a process to uncover this implicit knowledge and implement or support it. When I started working at d&b in the beginning of the year, I immediately started the Implicitor programme. After these few months, I can already say that this company has an incredible amount of collective knowledge within its employees. Every week, I’m surprised by new ideas and concepts. The task now is to harness this potential, assess its feasibility and, if we at d&b believe in it, do everything we can to make it happen! Favourite project? There are several, but I prefer not to talk about projects still in development. However, this I can tell you: my ambition, and that of many of my colleagues, is to make d&b the world leader in experience technologies within the entertainment and AV sectors. To achieve this, I am
How did you get into AV? It all started back in the late eighties, during the Neue Deutsche Welle era (New German Wave). I was part of a band but played the wrong instrument (accordion). One day, I found myself at the mixing desk, responsible for the band’s sound. Although I was still part of the band, my new role allowed me to help inspire the audience in a different way. I loved it, and it became the catalyst for my career change. It was around this time that the digitalisation of music and recording studios began. I was right in the middle of it. I learned about digitisation and the transition from tape to tapeless purely through hands-on experience. Those experiences have shaped me to this day. In other words, I have remained committed to transformation and digitalisation in various fields – music, radio, TV, marketing and the internet. Digitisation is first and foremost a people business and requires a lot of human (analogue) intelligence before you can celebrate digital project successes. Incidentally, it was during this time that I first encountered d&b loudspeakers and amplifiers. I was really impressed by the quality of the sub-bass sound and their reliability.
using my wealth of experience of over 30 years to contribute with great motivation and optimism. As soon as we’ve concluded some of the projects I’m calling my favourites, I’ll be more than happy to elaborate further. What does the future hold for AV? The future holds the continuing desire of people and future generations for perfect audio and video, combined with stunning lighting and other effects that evoke emotional responses. We are far from reaching the limits of our technical and digital capabilities. We can continue to wow audiences with innovations and new technologies that elevate the sensory experience. What advice would you give to someone starting a career in AV tech? Learn by doing, experiment and never stop learning. The internet has an infinite number of opportunities to learn quickly, get smart and develop yourself. However, hands-on experience, like working with professionals, is still the best way to get to know the field, showcase your skills and take advantage of unique openings. Virtual learning provides essential theory, while real-life experience offers practical knowledge and hands-on expertise.
We can continue to wow audiences with innovations and new technologies that elevate the sensory experience”
CANDICE SIOW Job title Regional director, SEA Company Lightware Visual Engineering
How did you get into AV? I started working part-time for a fibre optics manufacturer during my semester breaks as a booth staffer, giving out marketing brochures and door gifts whenever the company participated in pro AV tradeshows. That same company eventually offered me a full-time job after my graduation, as a salesperson developing its key accounts. What are you currently working on? I am currently setting up our new office in Singapore as a strategic step to expand Lightware’s presence in south-east Asia. I have been working in
close collaboration with key stakeholders to deliver a unified corporate message and go-to-market approach. Favourite project? There are too many! Each project is a commitment and a testament to our partnerships and trust. From educational institutes, corporate, venues, hospitality etc, each of the projects are interesting and unique. All of them give me a sense of satisfaction when I know that the customers are assured of Lightware’s products’ quality.
We are entering a period of consistent yet measured growth post-pandemic, and with our global community being more educated and tech-savvy, the quest for a seamless user experience during hybrid working and learning will further increase the need for a simplified system. USB-C technology can enable this ease of use on a single full-featured USB-C cable. What advice would you give to someone starting a career in AV tech? Hone your skills and be driven by your passion. Technology evolves but passion keeps you going.
What does the future hold for AV?
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