Synamedia Appoints Paul Segre CEO

Synamedia, a global independent video software provider, today named Paul Segre CEO, effectively immediately. Previously CEO of Genesys, Segre succeeds the departing CEO Yves Padrines, who presided over Synamedia’s first two years as a supplier of pay-TV with OTT distribution, and the development of solutions to protect revenues from streaming piracy and develop new revenue streams from addressable advertising. Segre will be based in London.

According to the company, Segre’s software and telecoms software industry pedigree and his experience building high-growth businesses “make him the right choice to lead Synamedia’s next phase of growth. The firm’s goal is to help existing customers and new direct-to-consumer players embrace IP distribution and build sustainable, profitable businesses.”

Most recently Segre spent 18 years at customer experience software firm Genesys, as CEO and then chairman. He led the $1.6 billion spin out of Genesys from Alcatel-Lucent (now Nokia) in 2012, backed by the Permira Funds. In six years, he grew the business to become “one of the 10 largest privately held software companies in the world, and the largest cloud provider in its space,” according to Synamedia. He was also president of Alcatel-Lucent’s Applications Group and sat on the Alcatel-Lucent Management Committee.

Abe Peled, Synamedia chairman, said: “It is thanks to Yves’ drive, leadership and passion over the last two years that Synamedia is the market-leading business it is today. We thank Yves and wish him continued success as he pursues new opportunities. Paul is taking over the reins of a business with an impressive customer roster, a strong pipeline and a reputation for award-winning innovation. Paul’s appointment signals our readiness and enthusiasm for the next chapter in our journey. His leadership track record, breadth of business experience, and ability to scale software businesses will be invaluable as we move forward with innovative solutions and services designed for the IP era.”