Getting started:
How did you get started in development/marketing/etc?
I co-founded Green Hippo in 2000, so we had to do everything. I focused on Technical and Operations and James Heron did Sales and Marketing. You just had to get everything done.
If you knew then what you know now, what mistakes might you have avoided?
It isn’t a question of what mistakes to avoid – you will do them anyway. The question is how quickly you will recognize this is not right and do something about it. It is better to make mistakes and move forward than to take no risk and be static.
What advice would you have given yourself when you were starting out?
Have more company barbeques!
What is the best piece of advice you have received so far?
Have more company barbeques!
What is in the most exciting emerging technology you have been involved with?
Quite a few. The roll out of HD, then 4k. GPUs taking over from CPUS. Moving from single core programming to multicore programming. Switching from spindle drives to SSD technology.
Your career at Green Hippo:
How did you get involved in AV?
When I started, I was programming large scale AV events such as car launches, etc. Back then, we were programming huge slide rigs (yes, these are the analogue 35mm film slides)! In the late 90’s, video projectors were just emerging, and I remember a huge heavy bulldozer of a projector having a puny 300 ansi lumens. Not very useful!
What is your work highlight at Green Hippo?
That would have to be the Beatles show “Love” in Las Vegas premiering in 2006. It was our first big project with racks full of servers driving 32 projectors. There was a soft-edge blended 360 degree screen going all the way around the circular stage and many other screens dropping in and out.
What is your favorite product (or feature) and why?
I quite like the Nevis+. Compact, yet powerful.
What is one thing that you are excited about that is coming up this year?
The return to normal sounds really exciting to me.
Personal Questions:
Tea or coffee?
Bit of both.
What is the first concert you attended?
Paul McCartney at the Frankfurter Festhalle.
What is you most-used emoji?
😉
What is your hidden talent?
I make a great potato soup.
What is next for you in business and personally?
I’m awaiting the ‘return to normal,’ whatever that looks like after Covid.