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| IP audio and control visionary brings in new CEO and assumes the CTO role while reshaping the company for future growth |
Audio over IP pioneer Barix announces that company founder Johannes Rietschel has returned to the company as CTO—just one of several executive-level changes as Barix prepares to introduce new product strategies and innovations to its many markets, including professional AV, broadcast, retail and security.
Evolution of Barix
Rietschel founded Barix in 2001 upon anticipating the need to move audio and control signals over IP networks. The company has since shipped more than 300,000 Barix and private-labelled OEM hardware devices worldwide, and has more recently evolved into SaaS and managed services with SoundScape, its business music and advertising platform for retail, hospitality and other location-based businesses.
In recognition of this evolution, Rietschel has appointed Ivo Killer as Barix CEO. Ivo also serves as COO of Barix’s sister company, Qibixx. “Ivo has clearly demonstrated his strength in managing people and organisations, which dates to executive HR positions in the Financial Services as well as in the Telecom industry, since coming to Qibixx,” said Rietschel, who also serves as Qibixx CEO. “These strengths and his early success at Qibixx prove that he has the vision to lead and continue moving Barix forward.”
Reshaping Barix with new resources
While Barix will continue to focus on its core markets stated above, Rietschel and Killer’s leadership positions at both companies will play a role in reshaping operations and product development. Barix recently closed its German office and moved its customer support, engineering and inside sales staff to Zurich. These resources will work closely with existing Qibixx teams on business and product development initiatives moving forward.
| "I’m excited to return to Barix, working closely with the greater executive team and the growing Barix staff to bring new and exciting innovations to market" |
“Qibixx, being the main hardware supplier to TWINT, the Swiss mobile payment system, uses the most modern technologies including IPv6, Bluetooth LE and RFID to develop highly innovative mobile, wireless and beacon solutions for large projects,” said Killer. “While Barix will remain an independent, separate entity, we fully intend to leverage the forward-looking technology innovations and engineering resources of Qibixx to move Barix’s traditional and emerging businesses into the next phase. This includes new product launches and enhancements for audio contribution and distribution in broadcast radio, location-based music and advertising delivery, paging and intercom, and control and automation.”
Rounding out the executive level changes is the appointment of Joan Parrilla as VP Engineering. Parrilla has served as Product Manager for SoundScape since its initial development and launch in 2013. Additionally, Reto Brader, who joined Barix in 2015 as VP Sales, has been promoted to VP Sales and Marketing. Departing CEO Frank Frederiksen has left Barix as of the end of August.
“We thank Frank for his years of excellent service and wish him well in his future endeavours,” said Rietschel. “I’m excited to return to Barix, working closely with the greater executive team and the growing Barix staff to bring new and exciting innovations to market, and better serve our global systems integration, end user and OEM customer base.”
