“EVS managed to build its business six or seven times the size it was in 2003”
Janssen reveals that on joining Vitec the group had a “more than serious discussion” about merging with EVS. “I know the business and the key members of the team very well. Even at that time it had excellent products and reputation in the market but people were saying that while it had had a good run it would face stiff competition. Instead EVS managed to build its business six or seven times the size it was in 2003 creating great value for customers and shareholders.”
A new calling When EVS came to call after nearly a decade at Vitec, the offer to move in as CEO was too good to pass up. An added benefit was that, having lived in three different countries over 16 years, the 52-year old could live closer to his family home. Liege, EVS’ HQ, is 20 minutes from the Dutch border. “EVS is a phenomenal company with a fantastic, young team which has continued to grow since 1994 [when it was
co-founded by Pierre L’Hoest who stepped down as CEO last year]. It has been helped this year in particular by the Olympics and Euros but it has also had a lot of success in studio-based production, where there are still opportunities to grow. “If you look at where EVS’
strengths are, apart from the pure technology, it is in adding a lot of value to content in a very short timeframe. In a matter of seconds in fact, EVS systems can add so much more to content giving clients a lot of opportunities in production and archive. “Anyone can get a signal from
a camera and broadcast that but it’s all about adding value by mixing the feed with highlights, data and statistics for OTT and second screen activity and making the experience personal. Ultimately that is where the money is and where the business models are going. He cites the example of a soccer match in which the main linear TX can be augmented with additional video streams or rich data to feed either realtime,
near realtime or time-shifted demand at home or, intriguingly, in stadia. Wiser than most to the
cyclical nature of the business where an equipment brand like that of 50 year old Grass Valley can be all- conquering one day and
sidelined the next, Janssen is clear how he can prevent EVS from losing its leadership position. “It all comes down
to focus. What I have learned from being part of the integration of
TVBEurope 31 The Business Case
“What I have learned from being part of the
continue to do it ourselves but if there is a company which has developed something that we think we need then we will look at acquiring it.”
integration of Thomson and Philips BTS as well as Grass Valley and Thomson, is that the
strategy in both cases was right — but in execution...” Joop Janssen, EVS
Thomson and Philips BTS as well as with Grass Valley and Thomson is that the strategy in both cases was right but in execution... I have learnt things. I think at Vitec we did M&A’s a lot better. Everyone we acquired added value to shareholders. “Something I am very conscious of is that with EVS we stay focussed on the things
we are good at and define our target market and strategy in a very accurate way.” EVS of course has grown
mostly organically but will future growth be fuelled by acquisition? “The first thing to check is whether we can
Another tick in the EVS box for Janssen is the company’s ubiquitous presence at the heart of major sports broadcasts, not least because of his past life as an international
volleyball player.
“It was another tick in the box for me and
EVS,” he says. “I played for the Netherlands’ national [youth and senior] team but it was not a full-time sport and my generation were not good enough to compete at the Olympics.” However the seeds were sown because in Atlanta 1996 the Netherlands’ men’s team went on to strike gold.