Funktion-One has appointed audio professional Rob Speight as Technical Marketing Director, strengthening the company’s focus on communicating the engineering, philosophy and real-world performance behind its loudspeaker technologies.
Speight brings more than three decades of experience across professional audio in live, touring, production, education, broadcast, and technical management. His career has included work for PA companies, FOH & monitor engineering, as well as production and post-production for broadcast. Additionally, Speight brings over 30 years of pro-audio journalistic experience, writing for magazines and manufacturers on both sides of the Atlantic.
His appointment comes as Funktion-One looks to build greater understanding of its unique design philosophies and technologies, and to broaden awareness of the company beyond the markets most closely associated with the brand.
“Funktion-One is one of those rare companies where the technology exists because of a deeply held belief about what sound should actually be,” said Speight. “There is an extraordinary amount of knowledge, engineering and belief within this company, and I am excited to share this understanding with a wider audience of industry professionals and end users.”
“For me, my role is about bridging that gap. It’s not about taking engineering and turning it into advertising language. It’s about understanding why something was designed the way it was, what difference that makes in the real world, and then finding a way of communicating that clearly and honestly,” he explained.
Speight’s role will encompass technical communications, product positioning, content, education and wider brand strategy, working closely with Funktion-One’s engineering and leadership teams.
A particular focus will be on connecting the company’s engineering principles with the experience of the people who ultimately use and listen to its systems.
“Sound isn’t only something we hear. It’s something we experience,” Speight continued. “That idea sits at the heart of Funktion-One. The technology matters enormously, but ultimately all that engineering exists to create an emotional experience for an audience,” he said.
The appointment also reflects an increased emphasis on education and technical knowledge around
Funktion-One systems. Speight believes that the performance of a professional loudspeaker system cannot be separated from the knowledge of the people deploying it.
“The people who design, specify and operate a system are part of the experience of that system. Training and education therefore play an important role, not only in helping engineers get the best from the technology, but in ensuring audiences experience what the system was designed to deliver. Training is fundamentally important to expanding Funktion-One’s place in the market and is something that I believe is core to increasing the understanding of why Funktion-One is the right system for every type of performance,” he concluded.
“We are very pleased that Rob is joining us and extend him a warm welcome. His technical expertise will be very helpful in communicating just how advanced and accomplished Funktion-One speakers have become,” said Tony Andrews.
“For me, this is both a sad and an exciting moment. Saying goodbye to our dear friend Michael Nicholson, who has been Director of Marketing at Funktion-One for many years, and saying hello to Rob Speight, an old friend who will be taking over the role,” explained Ann Andrews.
“What attracted me to Funktion-One is how dynamic and flexible the company is. So much is happening and there is so much to talk about, which makes this an extremely exciting time. My job isn’t to change what Funktion-One is or make it sound like everybody else. It’s to understand what makes the company unique and help communicate that clearly, honestly and in a way people can connect with,” Speight added.
