Friend MTS names Americas sales and strategy chief

Content security specialist Friend MTS has named Mike Baron as SVP, sales and strategy, Americas.

Baron will oversee business development for the company’s suite of managed anti-piracy services for new and current partnerships with operators, rights holders and broadcasters, and is responsible for sales and marketing strategies as well as strategic growth plans, policy and procedures.

With a regional focus on the US and South America, he is based in Los Angeles, California, and reports to John Ward, the recently appointed EVP, Americas for the company.

With 25 years of experience, Baron most recently served as SVP of Partnerships for Super League Gaming/Virtualis Studios where he launched Super League Gaming’s proprietary cloud-based, virtual studio technology. Prior to that he held the position of VP of global business development and special projects for Deluxe Entertainment Services, as well as Head of Fox Sports Enterprises, where he was responsible for managing and monetising Fox Sports’ IP-related new business initiatives.

“As the media industry increasingly sees the importance of incorporating anti-piracy measures into their business strategy to safeguard valuable content and revenue, we continue to expand our global leadership team to exceed demand for our proprietary content protection solutions. A true media insider, Mike brings a unique perspective to Friend MTS along with a proven track record of driving millions in revenue for companies that span the sports/entertainment, production services and technology sectors,” said Ward.