NORTH AMERICA Winner... USA CEO INSIGHT Q

How do you see the future of your industry?

When I joined this company a year ago, I was amazed at the state of the broadcast industry from a technology perspective – fragmented, proprietary and hardware-dependent. Since I spent the past decade innovating in the multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD – MSOs/Telcos) market – transitioning that industry to voice and video over IP, the cloud and software-defined networking – it felt like I was “back from the future.” The broadcast industry will undergo a similar, significant transformation over the next decade.

Thanks in part to the evolution of broadband fixed and mobile networks, and to companies like Apple, Google and Samsung, consumers today are technology- enabled beyond their wildest imaginations and watch more video content than ever before. We are living in a TV Everywhere world. We are at a tipping point, with broadcasters and MVPDs compelled to migrate away from their proprietary legacy infrastructure in favor of cloud- based, software-defined networks and workflows that improve their growth, flexibility and profitability as they pursue increased opportunities across multiple distribution methods. Imagine Communications is leading our customers to this future.

Q

What are your most important professional

achievements at your current company and how did you do that?

To lead our industry through such a transformative era, we needed to first transform the company, which was Harris Broadcast at the time. Over the past year, we moved very quickly to integrate years of strategic acquisitions while acquiring two more market-leading technology companies. We grew sales by double digits and nearly doubled earnings. Most importantly, we created two separate companies, Imagine Communications and GatesAir.

Imagine Communications is laser- focused on leading the media software and video infrastructure market, while GatesAir is laser- focused on over-the-air wireless solutions. We launched the bold vision, direction and strategy for both companies during our annual media day in March at Madison Square Garden, followed by our exhibition debut at NAB in April. Today, we have the financial strength required to innovate with global scale, and spend more than anyone else in the industry on R&D at nearly $100 million annually. We combine that

with the business

intellectual property and renewed customer-first culture needed to lead this industry.

Q

What education or prior experience helped you

succeed at your current company?

After graduating from St. Louis University with an Economics degree and playing division I baseball there, I have spent 28 years in the high-tech communications industry focused on emerging technologies and hyper-growth sales strategies. This experience has helped me pioneer, innovate, acquire and raise more than a billion dollars. During my tenure as CEO of GENBAND, we grew from an emerging start- up to over $700 million in sales in eight years and were named Wall Street Journal’s No. 1 privately-held company in America in 2012.

Q

How do you describe your leadership style?

I am driven by the relentless pursuit of excellence. I lead by example, holding myself to the highest performance and ethical standards as we embrace a “customer-first” culture. I invest in people, manage by what many refer to as “tough love” and challenge our employees every day to “think the unthinkable” and extend beyond the bounds of their capabilities. While we work hard, we enjoy the process. For me, coming to work and having an opportunity to actually change the way things are today – and inspiring people to help build those things – that is what keeps me energized. I do not remember a time in my professional life that it has felt like I actually went to work. That is the kind of culture I help create.

ABOUT IMAGINE COMMUNICATIONS acumen,

Leveraging more than five decades of innovation, Imagine Communications Corp. is a global leader of media software and video infrastructure solutions serving more than 3,000 broadcast, multichannel video programming distributor, government and enterprise customers spanning 185 countries. Today, nearly half of the world’s video channels traverse through more than 3 million of our products deployed around the world, turning media into moments that enrich the lives of their audiences. With a bold vision and commitment to IP-enabled, cloud-based, software-defined platforms and TV Everywhere, Imagine Communications is delivering billions of moments around the world anywhere, anytime and on any device.

FINANCE MONTHLY CEO AWARDS 2014

CHARLIE VOGT CEO of Imagine Communications

Charlie Vogt, CEO of Imagine Communications Phone (USA): 1.866.4.Imagine; Phone (Europe): +44.118.964.8000

Email: insidesales@imaginecommunications.com l Website: www.imaginecommunications.com 62 www.finance-monthly.com