New Leadership, Same Strategy, Sharpened Focus

Broadcast Pro

18-04-2025

Grass Valley's new CEO Jon Wilson talks growth, the Middle East and customer success.
At NAB 2025, Grass Valley made a bold yet well-prepared announcement: Jon Wilson officially stepped into the CEO role, succeeding Louis Hernandez Jr. But this wasn't a sudden move. In fact, as Wilson reveals, it was all part of a long-term plan.
'When I joined 18 months ago, the expectation was that we were going to get to this day,' Wilson shared. 'But Louis made it clear – you have to earn it.'
That meant not just personal growth, but collective proof. 'We, as a leadership team and as a business, had to show we were ready.' Nine months ago, that transition was formally approved by Hernandez Jr. and the board. Since then, Wilson had already been leading the team, making NAB the perfect moment for a formal announcement.
'Louis has been a fantastic mentor and has given us the space to take control and prove ourselves,' he said.
Wilson isn't here to upend a strategy that's working. And it is working.
'The fantastic thing about the past 12 months is that reality has caught up with the strategy,' he explained.' Bookings are up 25%. Our camera business grew 70%. That's not a small unit – we're talking tens of millions of dollars. Switchers grew 20%. And AAMP was up 300%.'
This growth comes on the back of long-term platform development. 'Especially with AAMP, we spent time developing the platform and new applications. Now, customers have moved into commercial deployments across tier-one applications.'
So no, the strategy doesn't change – but Wilson plans to sharpen its execution.
'What I'm bringing in is a relentless focus on customer success,' Wilson emphasised. A major move on that front was hiring Claudio Szabas as the new head of customer success.
Szabas brings a rich mix of experience: broadcast, SaaS and a stint as a customer himself.
'He knows Grass Valley. He knows what our customers need and he's bringing SaaS-level thinking back into our environment.'
That focus extends to operations as well. 'Operational excellence is high on my list – doing what we say we're going to do, optimising the organisation, and force-multiplying the impact we can all have.'
Middle East: A Strategic Growth Market
Among the top three growth markets identified by Grass Valley are South Asia, the Americas and the Middle East. And the numbers back it up.
'The Middle East grew about 30% last year,' said Wilson. 'It's one of our most strategic markets.' But he believes there's room for more. 'That's why we've added more resources and focused on partner-led go-to-market strategies.'
Grass Valley's partner network in the region is robust: First Gulf and QVEST are key players, with Broadcast Solutions also active across Europe and the Middle East. 'And beyond that, we've got a number of local partners who've been incredibly supportive – and we plan to continue that support.'
Despite only hiring one new person in the region last year, Wilson confirmed they're actively exploring more investment. 'With the momentum we're seeing, we know we need more on-the-ground presence.'
So, what's unique about the Middle East? Wilson is quick to point out that while the challenges may feel regional, they're often global.
'A lot of customers are dealing with infrastructure that's nearing end-of-life. I hesitate to call it 'legacy' – these are still modern systems – but technology has moved quickly.'
For Wilson, that's where Grass Valley can help. 'Modernisation can't happen the same way it used to – with bespoke hardware everywhere. There has to be a mindset shift. But that means we also need to help bridge the gap between technology teams and operations – the internal customers. That's a core focus for us.'
Asked if he had a message for the Middle East, Wilson didn't hesitate: 'Grass Valley is committed to the region.'
But commitment, he said, must be pragmatic. 'We're not in a 'spend no matter what' economy. But we do need to invest thoughtfully – early enough to grow, not so early that we outpace the revenue curve.'
Wilson also underscored his personal approach to customer engagement. 'If a customer wants to reach out to me directly, they should. After the transition announcement on LinkedIn, someone did just that. I gave them my email and said, 'Let's talk.' I want to hear what's working – and what's not.'
Jon Wilson is hoping to chart a future rooted in continuity, with a clear eye on modernisation and operational impact.
If the past year's numbers are anything to go by, reality won't just catch up with strategy – it might just surpass it.