Issue Winter 2009

Bernie Wolff – Senior Vice President, Business Development, YCD Multimedia

Bernie has been with YCD Multimedia since 2001. With over 20 years experience as Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Philips Electronics and having lived and worked in six countries he was a natural fit to help YCD formulate its international business strategy.

“Those early days were exciting yet extremely challenging, trying to figure out how best to gain maximum exposure for YCD’s products, while operating with little investment capital and minimal human resources. This was a far different world than the one I had been used to. Coming from the 25th largest company in the world, and managing a large team of sales and support personnel with an annual expense budget of $2 million per year, I was now faced with the task of developing a distribution network for YCD’s products with a team of 2 persons, and a very restricted budget”. But, with his “can do” attitude Bernie has helped put YCD on the world map over the last 8 years, with a network of distribution partners in key territories and established relationships with leading retailers in some of our major markets.

In reflecting back on his career change from global behemoth to high tech start-up, Bernie said, “It wasn’t a difficult decision. I felt that the technology was outstanding and better than anything else I had seen on the market, the development and support team I met showed talent and dedication beyond anything I had seen before and the working environment was outstanding – a real close family atmosphere”.

Since those early years, YCD has grown its international business into more than 20 countries worldwide, operating via a network of industry-related distribution partners, and in specific markets and territories directly with major end clients. Our customer base has grown by leaps and bounds, currently consisting of more than 3,500 installations in blue-chip companies that include well known high street names like Hilton, Sheraton, Hugo Boss, Cartier, Toyota, Coca Cola, Israel Discount Bank, Aroma, New Look, Heineken and Mastercard. Our integrated technology in those installations covers many applications from Digital Ambience, Merchandising, Corporate Communications and Interactive Entertainment. “From those humble beginnings, I truly believe that YCD is today considered to be one of the leading global suppliers of in-store digital media.”