PPDS has promoted Andrea Barbuti to the newly created role of Global Product Management Lead for EMEA. Andrea is based in Ghent and will report to William Xiong, Vice President of Global Product Management. Andrea has been with PPDS since 2015, when he started as an Application Engineer, and was later appointed PPDS Global Product Manager Total Solutions in 2020. His expertise and commitment have played an important role in the company’s strategic direction towards comprehensive hardware and software solutions for various global markets, including EMEA, North America, India and Asia Pacific.
Throughout his career with the company, Andrea has been recognized for his natural leadership skills and has been instrumental in driving the company’s sustainability strategy. He played a key role in introducing the Android Professional SoC for Philips Professional Displays and led the creation of energy-efficient digital signage solutions with globally recognized sustainability certifications. Notable products include the Philips Zero Energy Tables and the Philips Signage 3000 Series EcoDesign (QE-Line), which achieved the world’s first European C-rated energy label for digital signage and an EPEAT Silver Climate+ accreditation.
In his new role, Andrea will oversee product management and technical support for all PPDS display products in EMEA. Additionally, he will integrate the specific requirements of each region of the world to lead the management of professional display products for PPDS.
Expressing his excitement for the new role, Andrea said: “I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity and responsibility to lead Global Product Management from my home in Europe. As I enter my tenth year with the company, I have never been more motivated or excited to be part of the team. The growth and impact we have had, and the progress we have made in championing the importance of sustainability, for our customers and the AV industry as a whole, has been nothing short of extraordinary. It is a testament to the dedication and innovative spirit of our elite team of professionals who are the backbone of our business.”
He added: “I look forward to continuing our commitment to providing the best professional display products and software solutions to meet the evolving needs of our customers around the world.”
Andrea’s appointment comes shortly after the promotion of Jan Van Tieghem, a 15-year veteran of the company, to Director of Technical Sales Support. This underlines PPDS’ commitment to fostering talent within the AV industry.
Martijn van der Woude, Vice President of Global Marketing and Business Development, commented on Andrea’s appointment: “Andrea’s leadership skills, combined with his deep industry knowledge and experience, make him the ideal candidate to bring a European perspective to our global product strategy, something we believe is unique in our industry.”
He continued, “We are extremely fortunate to have some of the most entrepreneurial leaders in the industry at PPDS, each of whom is recognized for playing a critical role in the development and success of our business. Andrea has a proven track record and commitment to bringing new, more energy-efficient products to market, and we have every confidence in his ability to lead the next wave of innovation. On behalf of the PPDS team, I congratulate Andrea on his well-deserved promotion.”