Interview with Tom Erik Hagen, Product Owner
Introduction and background
As one of the original founders of Appear, could you share some of the most memorable moments or milestones from your journey?
There have been many important moments, but if I had to pick one, it would be NAB Show in 2012. This is when we launched our very first encoder module for the XC Platform. Up until then, we were primarily known as a decoder manufacturer. At that NAB, we were still a small company, standing next to the gigantic stands of our competitors. Despite our size, we caught a lot of attention, especially from the competition. A few years later, we have established ourselves as a globally recognised leader in live production technology, and have established our brand with a strong footprint in North America. Our current X encoder is one of our most successful products, and our XC platform continues to perform well in the market!
How has your role evolved over the years, and what have been the most significant changes you’ve seen in the company?
My focus has evolved as the company has expanded. I started as a hardware designer and C programmer during the startup phase, then moved into roles like R&D Group Manager and eventually Product Owner. This journey has given me insight into nearly every aspect of the product cycle. We’ve grown organically from a small team of 10 to nearly 200 employees today. One of the most significant changes has been the establishment of our UK and US offices. While managing distributed teams does introduce new challenges, these changes have been crucial to our overall growth.
What has kept you motivated and passionate about working here for so long?
As an engineer, I still enjoy the excitement of seeing a product develop from an idea all the way to the market. However, the greatest satisfaction for me comes from seeing our organisation grow, work together, and succeed as a team. That, to me, is the most rewarding part of our journey.
Leadership and Vision
You are the product owner of the newly launched “APX” Solution Suite. What is APX and what inspired its development?
APX will be a comprehensive, cohesive suite of market-leading solutions, including technology, professional services and third-party offerings that enable efficient and scalable live production. APX represents the evolution of Appear from a company focused on selling modules and “boxes” to one that delivers comprehensive solutions. In many ways, APX is the natural next step in our successful journey. Our customers are now larger organisations, dealing with more valuable content, and operating in a dynamic, event-driven environment. As a result, we are expected to go beyond providing excellent technology—we must also deliver services and tools that help our customers achieve their objectives more efficiently.
How do you envision APX impacting our clients and the broader industry?
Compared to some other established players in our market, we are a smaller company. While we excel at what we do, our size means we must be strategic about where we focus our efforts. To provide comprehensive solutions to our clients, we are open to partnering with best-in-class technology providers. A key part of the APX vision is collaborating with selected partners and driving innovation across the industry—ultimately to benefit our customers.
How have your past experiences at the company helped shape the direction and vision for APX?
With APX and the launch of VX, the next-gen mediatech software, we are entering a new operating environment that presents different challenges compared to deploying X appliances. However, we are bringing valuable insights and lessons from our previous software product introductions, which will help guide us through the launch of both APX and VX.
Innovation and Technology
How do you envision APX impacting Appear’s growth in the live media production technology space?
Complementing our X and VX products, APX delivers the essential capabilities needed to thrive in the live media production space. Features such as flexible consumption models, rapid deployment, operational scalability, observability, and professional services are all integral to our offerings. Without these capabilities, we wouldn’t be able to fully unlock the revenue potential of our products.
What are your short- and long-term goals for APX, and how do you plan to achieve them?
Starting in 2025, we will begin introducing the first new capabilities of APX. Flexible licensing will be a key feature and the Estate Management tool is a high priority. It’s important to understand that APX is a continuous journey—one that will never truly end, as we will need to keep adapting to the evolving needs of our customers.
How do you think this new solution suite aligns with the company’s vision for the next decade?
Throughout the design and planning of the APX workstreams, we’ve kept the company vision and strategy statements front and center. The alignment between the APX vision and the broader company vision should be immediately clear to anyone who reads them. Naturally, the company’s vision and strategy play a key role in how Product Owners prioritise their tasks on a daily basis.
Challenges and Opportunities
What are some of the biggest challenges you anticipate in the coming years, and how do you plan to tackle them?
One of the biggest challenges will be navigating the rapid pace of technological change and ensuring we remain agile and adaptable. To tackle this, we will prioritise flexibility in our operations and maintain a strong focus on continuous learning and development. Another challenge is the increasing competition in the mediatech space, which we will address by consistently delivering high-quality, innovative products and exceptional customer service so our customers are leading in their space.
What opportunities do you see on the horizon that you’re particularly excited about?’
I am particularly excited about the opportunities in expanding our footprint. There is significant potential in emerging markets where the demand for innovative mediatech solutions is rapidly growing. Another exciting opportunity lies in the continued integration of sustainability into our operations and products, as there is a growing demand for environmentally responsible technology solutions. This not only aligns with our corporate values and how we are currently working but also secures our continued position as a leader in the sustainable tech movement.
Personal Insights
As Appear celebrates its 20th anniversary, what does this milestone mean to you personally and professionally?
Having been with Appear since day one, the company is naturally a big part of my career story. Staying with the same company for this long is quite rare these days, but looking back, I’ve never been bored—and it doesn’t seem like I will be anytime soon! Personally, I started at Appear as a bachelor engineer living in a small apartment. Now, I live with my wife, our 11-year-old daughter, and we’re expecting a dog in November. So yes, 20 years is a long time, and a lot has changed.
What excites you the most about being a Product Owner in the mediatech industry?
Our industry has always evolved at an incredibly fast pace—not just in terms of technology but commercially as well. It’s a truly global and highly competitive space. On a tough day, that can feel overwhelming, but it’s also what excites and challenges me. Honestly, I think I’d get bored pretty quickly in a more ‘normal’ job
If you could give one piece of advice to young engineers wanting to work with product development, what would it be?
If you’re an engineer who’s motivated by seeing your work solve real customer problems, then product development is likely for you. It’s easy to get deeply focused on the details of your area of expertise—and that’s necessary. But every so often, it’s important to step back and remember two things:
- We’re here to serve the needs of our customers. At the end of the day, they’re the ones who pay our salaries.
- Delivering successful solutions requires contributions from a wide range of experts with very different backgrounds: Technical Sales, Support, Sales, Marketing, Logistics, Finance, Accounting, Legal, R&D, Product Management, IT, Manufacturing, and external partners—the list goes on. The point is, we can only succeed if we work as a team!
Find Tom Erik on Linkedin