Electrosonic announced that co-founder Robert (Bob) Simpson passed away at the age of 82. Simpson was an innovator and an industry icon who dedicated his professional life to understanding and expanding the audiovisual industry through a vision to invent and use technology in creative ways to build lasting experiences where people live, work and play.
Ewan Smith, Electrosonic’s Global President and Managing Director, commented, “It is heartbreaking to have heard the news this week, my heartfelt condolences to Bob’s family and his loved ones and to every individual that had the privilege to meet, to grab a drink with or if you’re lucky enough to work with Bob. We have lost such an incredible soul and an icon in the industry.”
Simpson co-founded Electrosonic Ltd on March 3, 1964, alongside Denis Naisbitt and Michael Ray. The three co-founders’ very first office consisted of two unfurnished rooms above a potato stall in the Greenwich Vegetable Market. With the leadership of Simpson, Electrosonic grew exponentially to become a powerhouse and go-to technology advisor for the world’s biggest theme parks, entertainment figures and Fortune 500 organizations with offices in the U.K., U.S., Europe, Middle East and Asia. From its inception up until 2004, Simpson served as Chairman of Electrosonic Ltd and from 2005-2015 served as a director of and advisor to the international Electrosonic Group up until his retirement in 2016.
To comment on the passing, Philip Aminoff, Chairman of Helvar Merca Oy Ab, (the ownership group of Electrosonic) commented, “Of all the people I have known, Bob, through his ability to combine deep professionalism with such a good sense of what it means to be a human being, has had a special position in my life as a valued person to look up to.”
To complement his contributions to Electrosonic, Simpson was an industry figure, publishing several books including: Videowalls – The Book of the Big Electronic Image and Lighting Control – Technology and Applications as well as Electrosonic – 50 Years on the Audio-Visual Front Line. These contributions to the industry led to Simpson’s inclusion as a life member to the SMPTE, a fellow of the BKSTS, awarded the Infocomm Distinguished Achievement award and in 2017 awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for services to the audiovisual industry.
