Blackmagic Design co-founder Peter Barber has joined Atomos as the company’s new chief operating officer.
Barber has over 30 years experience in production and post-production, including three years at Apple Computer where he was responsible for the rollout of Final Cut Pro and other video solutions in Asia Pacific. As co-founder and co-owner of Blackmagic, he played a key role in growing the business and drove the M&A strategy which saw him lead and negotiate the acquisition of seven businesses over an eight-year period.
Speaking about his appointment, Barber said: “Throughout much of my working life I have been designing video workflows, and sharing democratising tools that empower creatives, something that resonates strongly with a company like Atomos.”
“Creative professionals work in a demanding, fast-paced industry, so they need reliable products and workflows to help them grow their clientele and revenue. I am fortunate to have worked in both the creative services world as well as being a solution provider, giving me a strong connection to our customers’ needs and expectations,” he continued.
“Although the company’s recent history has been difficult, our customers have continued to support the brand due to the uniqueness of our products and the important role they play in professional video workflows,” he added. “I firmly believe that with time, the right resources, refocused product strategies and the reinvigoration of Atomos’ core DNA with the return of founder Jeromy Young, we will have a very solid basis to grow beyond the company’s previous success. Having known Jeromy for almost 20 years, including working together at Blackmagic Design, we have a very similar view of the video industry and the direction it is headed.”
Jeromy Young, co-founder of Atomos, who returned to the business as managing director and CEO at the start of the year added: “Peter and I are two sides of a coin, equally important and extremely complementary. I very much look forward to working with Peter to return Atomos to a leadership technology position, yielding both growth and profit for our shareholders. We are very fortunate to have someone of Peter’s stature and experience join the Atomos team. Peter is a true global leader.”
