At the 2022 NAB Show, the biggest news among broadcast technology executives on the floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center was the announcement that Thomson Broadcast has signed a definitive agreement to acquire GatesAir from an affiliate of The Gores Group. The transaction closed just weeks later, in August 2022.
Now, the man who has served as CEO of GatesAir since 2017 is retiring. His successor has just been named, and she’s headed the live production business for a Vizrt Group entity.
With the departure of Bruce Swail, the leadership of GatesAir has been handed to Barbara Spicek.
Spicek is already settling in to her new role, following a three-year run at Vizrt, where she exited as President/GM for its NewTek arm. Previously, Spicek was an executive at Brocade Communications and Veritas Technologies.
As GatesAir and its French parent Thomson Broadcast see it, Spicek “will now apply her ability to define company direction and success to GatesAir, where she sees the opportunity to not only grow the company’s international footprint, but also expand products and solutions offerings into exciting new areas. That includes carrying the brand’s industry-leading TV and radio transmission legacy forward, while broadening the company’s business opportunities.”
Spicek commented, “GatesAir’s longevity speaks for itself, and we will continue to innovate for the global over-the-air broadcast market. Business opportunities for TV, FM and digital radio systems continue to grow worldwide, and GatesAir’s Intraplex networking business has flourished as broadcasters accelerate their IP transitions. I see clear opportunities for GatesAir to bring new cloud and software-based solutions to market, both within its product portfolio and in collaboration with Thomson Broadcast and an extended ecosystem. That adds up to phenomenal growth opportunity for GatesAir, fueled through a strong company foundation anchored by Thomson’s supportive ownership.”
Aby Alexander, President for the USA at West Palm Beach-headquartered Thomson Broadcast’s domestic operations center, added, “Barbara brings an amazing skillset to GatesAir that assures continued business growth through her proven track record as a proactive, innovative and strategic business leader. Her ability to define a company’s business direction and corporate culture align well with our vision to move the GatesAir brand into exciting new places.”
Ylias Akbaraly, Chairman of Redland, the holding company of the Sipromad Group and Thomson Broadcast, also chimed in. He said, “When we committed to acquiring GatesAir, we challenged ourselves to develop ideas that would increase the company’s global footprint. That includes a business integration strategy that allows the GatesAir brand to thrive, and empowers both companies to develop more complete solutions for our customers. As we searched for a new CEO, we were determined to find the right leader to help us enact our vision. That leader is Barbara, and we are excited at the possibilities that lie in front of us moving forward. We thank Bruce for his important contributions and look forward to the next phase of GatesAir under Barbara’s leadership.”
