d&b audiotechnik creates immersive sound business unit

d&b has appointed Al McKinna as Vice President of its new Immersive business unit. The creation of the new business unit will be a key enabler of d&b's holistic immersive vision, spanning from audio, video, lighting and media up to extended Reality (xR). McKinna will report directly to d&b Group CEO Amnon Harman.

In this role McKinna will be responsible for d&b’s global immersive strategy, developing the business roadmap, establishing strategic partnerships and driving future innovations. The organization under his lead is split across three divisions: Product Management and Architectural Design, Software Development and Customer Enablement.

McKinna spent the last two decades in leadership roles in both live sound and commercial audio, dedicated to hardware and software technologies alike. Prior to joining d&b he most recently held the position of Head of Product at Focusrite’s Optimal Audio after spending 15 years at Avid in senior product management and sales roles.

"d&b is breaking ground with its integrated immersive vision and I am excited to play a pivotal role in making it a reality. We see a huge opportunity to enhance an audience’s experience with d&b’s immersive technologies and I am honored to work with this exceptionally talented and experienced team to push the boundaries of what is creatively possible", says Al McKinna.

"Today’s announcement marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for d&b, not only because we gain Al’s expertise and talents but also because this marks the transition of all d&b immersive endeavors under one business unit. A truly immersive performance is not only an enveloping sound experience, but also the amalgamation with light and video, which puts d&b in a unique position. This new organization, established right at the core of d&b, allows us to build an immersive business roadmap from an integrated viewpoint, considering both our audiotechnik and solutions customers", comments Amnon Harman, CEO, d&b Group

Since its launch in 2018, d&b Soundscape has provided an immersive audio platform. With the acquisition of UK-based company White Light, d&b added the SmartStage xR technology to its portfolio. SmartStage is an immersive video environment that enables the presenter to interact with the content for verticals such as education, corporate communications, broadcast and e-sports.