C-Suite Insight: Louis Hernandez Jr. Reshapes Grass Valley For Long-Term Success
By Jennifer P
In this interview with Michael Grotticelli for The Broadcast Bridge, Louis Hernandez Jr., the Executive Chair and CEO of Grass Valley, discusses his background as a technologist and entrepreneur in various industries, particularly in the Media & Entertainment (M&E) space. Hernandez reflects on the current state of the media industry, emphasizing the challenges of evolving economic models, changing consumption patterns, and the need for collaboration and strategic partnerships in navigating the complex landscape.
The interview delves into Hernandez’s acquisition of Grass Valley through his private equity firm, Black Dragon Capital, highlighting his vision for transforming the company and leveraging its Agile Media Processing Platform (AMPP) to create a digital ecosystem. Hernandez emphasizes the importance of being a trusted long-term partner for clients in the media industry, especially during times of disruption.
The discussion covers Grass Valley’s three-year business transformation since the acquisition, focusing on the transition to growth mode and the company’s commitment to organic growth. Hernandez shares insights into the role of the cloud in media production, addressing the challenges and benefits of cloud-native architectures. He emphasizes the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of the AMPP architecture, allowing clients to deploy on-premise, in the cloud, or in a hybrid environment.
Hernandez discusses the future of Grass Valley, expressing confidence in its organic growth strategy, fueled by AMPP’s capabilities. He also touches on potential areas for expansion, such as cybersecurity and revenue-generating initiatives. The interview concludes with Hernandez’s thoughts on emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), and their impact on the media industry. He reassures that AI is a tool to augment creative work rather than replace human creativity, especially in tier 1 events.
Read the full article by Michael Grotticelli for TheBroadcastBridge HERE
Learn more about Grass Valley HERE