Media partners

Martin Walsh

DTS

Martin Walsh is the vice president of audio research and development at DTS, a part of Xperi. He leads a global team that pioneers new technologies for the automotive, gaming and consumer electronics sectors. These innovations, rooted in advanced digital signal processing and machine learning, have propelled Xperi’s offerings to the forefront of the industry. Since joining in 2010, Martin has been instrumental in several key developments that have significantly enhanced user experiences across various platforms.

Marcos Simón

Audioscenic

Marcos Simón is the Co-Founder and CTO of Audioscenic limited. He is a world expert in sound field control and array signal processing that turned into entrepreneur to change the way people currently consume spatial audio. Marcos Simón graduated in 2010 from the Technical University of Madrid with a B.Sc. in telecommunications. In 2011, he joined the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, where he worked with loudspeaker arrays for sound field control and 3D audio rendering and also in the modelling of cochlear mechanics. He obtained his Ph.D. title in 2014, and between 2014 and 2019 he was part of the S3A Research Programme “Future Spatial Audio for an Immersive Listening Experience at Home”. In 2019 he co-founded Audioscenic for the commercialisation of innovative listener-adaptive audio technologies, where he currently works as Chief Technical Officer. Since the creation of the company, Marcos has been leading the vision of Audioscenic and established himself as a nexus between the commercial and technical world for the start up; making sure that the technology is continually evolving and that customers needs and technology are in sync. Marcos combines his innovation passion with love for cooking, sailing and DJing.

Shehab Albahri

Knowles

Shehab Albahri is Vice President of Global R&D and Product Application for Knowles Corporation's MedTech and Specialty Audio (MSA) segment. Knowles Corporation, a market leader in audio components and audio processing technologies since 1946. In his role, Shehab is responsible for overseeing engineering, research, and product development, and product applications for transducers and audio applications in hearing health and consumer electronics market. With over 40 granted US utility patents to his name, Shehab is a recognized expert in his field. Shehab's key responsibilities include the development of Knowles’ technology and product roadmaps. He collaborates closely with customers on complex challenges in order to design and implement differentiated audio solutions, drive new products and push the boundaries of technology. Prior to joining Knowles, Shehab worked at the Research Foundation for SUNY, where he focused on novel MEMS audio sensors research and development. Shehab holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from State University of New York at Binghamton, and a Master of Engineering Management from Northwestern University. He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Audio Engineering Society (AES).

Sarah Yule

KEF

Having worked in senior sales, marketing, and leadership roles for almost 20 years, Sarah has spent her whole career within the music and audio industries. Now three and a half years into her tenure at KEF, she heads up the European Marketing Team and has been project lead and now General Manager of the KEF Music Gallery London, their global flagship brand experience centre. Sarah has been a regular panellist in talks around audio, innovation, technology, and music. A previous “40 under 40” award winner, top 25 women in tech winner, and a Remix Awards, Muse Design Awards, and iF Design Awards winner for some of her work including the “Fat Track” tube production suite, and “SSTM” an AI powered music production concept. Yule is a graduate in Sound Technology from Paul McCartney’s LIPA, a Member of the Chartered Institute for Marketing (MCIM), and a Board Director for the Music Industries Association. She holds credits from Rutgers Business School in accounting & finance, Bocconi School of Management in luxury brand management, and an Exec MBA from Warwick Business School London Campus with a strategic leadership specialism.

Alexander Tschekalinskij

Fraunhofer IIS

Alexander Tschekalinskij is a senior engineer in the Low Delay Audio Coding Group at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) in Erlangen, Germany. He holds a Master of Science degree in Nuclear Physics from the Friedrich-Alexander-University in Germany. As part of the team that developed the LC3 audio codec which is standardized in Bluetooth and the LC3plus codec which is standardized in ETSI, Alexander represents the Fraunhofer IIS as the Bluetooth SIG delegate.

Lisa Stafford

TAZAAR

Lisa Stafford is the Founder and CEO of TAZAAR, a digital product passport company focused on equipment used in home and professional entertainment. With over eight years of experience in the circular economy, she has contributed significantly to circular initiatives through previous roles at Innovate UK Growth and London & Partners. Her work has consistently supported manufacturers and businesses in adopting sustainable practices and leveraging digital transformation for enhanced life-cycle management. Previously, she was was involved with the European Enterprise Network in the environment sector group, where she worked on fostering innovation partnerships between manufacturers, universities and digital technology companies across Europe. Lisa's consulting background is extensive, with key roles in managing policy change impacts for businesses, including leading the Business Covid response team at London & Partners and preparing companies for Brexit with the Department for International Trade. Her career is dedicated to merging policy, innovation, and sustainability to forge pathways for future-ready businesses in the global market. Lisa is part of the European wide Digital Product Passport stakeholder group, CirPass, as a working member of their electronics and electrical product group. She is also part of Professional Light and Sound Association’s sustainability committee, working towards an industry standard in Digital Product Passport provision and Life Cycle Assessment reporting requirements and alignment with EU directives.

Scott Campbell

HARMAN

Scott Campbell is the Director of Sales for the EMEA region for Harman Luxury Audio and Arcam Global. He is responsible for developing and implementing the Luxury Audio Group's growth strategy, strengthening its presence across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and ensuring the success of the Arcam brand on a global scale. With over 20 years of experience in the high-end audio industry, Scott has a proven ability to drive sales and build lasting relationships with dealers, integrators, and partners in the region. Prior to joining HARMAN, Scott held the position of Director of Sales and Marketing at Arcam, where he was instrumental in expanding the company's market reach and driving its sales success. Scott joined HARMAN with the acquisition of Arcam, bringing his considerable expertise in audio technology and market strategy to the HARMAN Luxury Audio team. His passion for high-fidelity sound has made him a respected leader in the industry. Under his guidance, Harman Luxury Audio continues to flourish in the EMEA region, offering world-class products that elevate the audio experience for audiophiles and music enthusiasts alike.

Maurice Moroney

Qualcomm

Elfed Howells

Elevear

Jonny McClintock

Jonny McClintock has worked in the professional audio industry for his entire working life, starting with Dolby Labs in London and then APT Limited in Belfast, where he was part of the MBO team in 2005. APT was subsequently acquired by CSR in 2010 and then by Qualcomm in 2015. The past 28 years were spent selling and marketing aptX into Professional and Consumer Electronic Bluetooth markets in both hardware and IP formats. This journey culminated with 12 Billion Bluetooth enabled devices supporting aptX and signing 1,004 License agreements. Having grown tired of “Big Corp”, he left to go back into the startup world which involves the licensing of low latency, high quality audio codecs for digital wireless microphones. Jonny also has a vested interest in 5.1, UWB, Neurotech, RF antenna design and how they will converge in the highly disruptive Headphones 3.0.  

Mikael Herje

HARMAN

Mikael Herje is a skilled professional in the consumer electronics field, currently serving as Category Director for Headphones and Wearables at HARMAN. With a strong focus on market trends, product marketing, and enhancing audio experiences, he plays a crucial role in driving the growth of HARMAN's headphones category. He acts as the vital link between market insights and product development, overseeing the category's evolution while also contributing to the creation of new products. Prior to joining HARMAN, Mikael held various business and category management roles at both regional and global levels. His position as Senior Manager for Business Management in the Audio Business Line at Gibson Innovations (Philips Home Audio) provided him with deep expertise in the audio market and insights into consumer preferences. His earlier experiences at Philips further enriched his skills in consumer electronics. Mikael's extensive industry knowledge and dedication continue to push the boundaries of headphone technology, aiming to deliver exceptional audio experiences to consumers worldwide.

Jez Stark

Cambridge Consultants

Jez heads the consumer business unit at Cambridge Consultants, overseeing the global consumer market sector, client partnerships, commercial strategy, and development. With over 20 years of experience in techno-commercial roles, he has worked across the consumer, audio, and semiconductor markets.

Andy Dowell

MQA

With over 25 years of experience in technology licensing, Andy is responsible for the global commercial roll-out of products and services from the Lenbrook Media Group. In his role, Andy oversees the division’s business strategy and growth, legal contracts and operations.  Since the launch of the technology in 2015, MQA has been adopted by streaming and download DSPs, hundreds of the world’s leading consumer electronics brands, and is now recognised as the most advanced technology for delivering sound with unmatched levels of natural detail.  In 2022, the team’s SCL6 technology (aka ‘AIRIA’) was approved by the Japan Audio Society as a certified codec for the “Hi-Res AUDIO WIRELESS” logo, and the technology was showcased at CES 2023. In 2024, the team announced groundbreaking new technologies under the brands of ‘FOQUS’ and ‘QRONO’. Prior to Lenbrook and MQA, Andy spent 15 Years at Dolby Laboratories, managing business in Europe across CE, Mobile, Cinema, Automotive, Broadcast, Music and Gaming.

Julien Bergere

Dynaudio

Carl Hibbert

Futuresource Consulting

Carl Hibbert directs the research and insights at Futuresource, drawing upon over 20 years industry analyst experience. Carl has expertise across media, entertainment and consumer electronics market segments, working with a variety of methodologies to deliver market sizing, forecasting, competitive landscaping and consumer trends. Currently forming part of Futuresource's senior team and heading its consumer media and technology research and insight group. A regular presenter at industry conferences across USA, Europe and Asia and frequent contributor to press and trade journals.