Kinly appoints Mark Faugstad to drive immersive innovation

Kinly, a global provider of audiovisual (AV) integration and collaboration services, has announced the appointment of Mark Faugstad as Product and Business Development Manager for Immersive Collaboration. This strategic move is designed to bolster Kinly's innovation team and enhance its reputation within the AV industry.

Mark Faugstad, who brings 15 years of experience in virtual, extended, and augmented reality, has previously held senior management positions at Dreamtek, Vision3, and White Light. His extensive expertise will now be directed towards furthering Kinly’s commitment to innovative immersive solutions.

In his new role, Faugstad will be based in the UK and report directly to Simon Watson, Global Head of Innovation. His responsibilities include driving Kinly's product innovation strategy by engaging with industry thought leaders, vendors, and research bodies to gather data and report on emerging trends and opportunities. Additionally, he will work closely with the senior leadership team to set priorities, create business cases, and define targets for new products or solution developments.

Faugstad’s role will not be confined to initial product creation. He is also tasked with working alongside Kinly's commercial, technical, and sales management teams to align product and service roadmaps with the company's commercial strategies and objectives. This approach ensures a comprehensive focus on the product lifecycle, from development through to optimisation.

Speaking on the appointment, Simon Watson noted Faugstad's impressive background in the VR/XR/AR industry, highlighting his previous projects which include developing 3D VR experiences for immersive training and location-based applications, such as a VR experience on ocean pollution for museums and a Microsoft HoloLens 2 social experience focused on orca migration. Watson expressed confidence that Faugstad’s expertise will enhance the credibility of Kinly's immersive collaboration solutions.

Mark Faugstad commented on his new role with enthusiasm, stating that Kinly's commitment to developing an immersive collaboration product portfolio was a significant factor in his decision to join the team. He is eager to drive innovation and create meaningful impacts for clients through the new immersive products.

"Kinly's passion for technological excellence is something I have always admired. I am excited to work alongside the best professionals in the industry who share this vision," Faugstad added.