Drone Firm Verity Hires Former Intel Sales Pro

Indoor-drone provider Verity Studios has hired a former Intel veteran to grow the Zurich-based company’s sales profile.

The firm recruited Fabrice Couadou as head of sales. Couadou brings more than 20 years of sales, business development and marketing experience from Intel. The company says he will focus on scaling Verity’s live events business.

“Leading business development efforts for Intel’s EMEA drone business for the past several years, he intends to leverage his insights and experience to drive Verity to the next level of commercial success.”

In a statement, Couadou said:

“Verity has brought leading-edge technology to the live events industry and at the same time made it reliable, safe, and easy to operate. With its innovation roadmap, Verity is already several steps ahead of the market and its competition and has established a successful recurring business model. Verity’s work with entertainment providers like Cirque du Soleil and MSG, and artists like Drake and Metallica is further proof that they’re the clear leaders in this field, and I’m excited to join the team.”

Last year, Verity Studios partnered with rapper Drake to provide an autonomous, swarm-based drone show to the artist’s Aubrey & the Three Migos Tour. Drake’s hit Elevate opened with the micro drones swarming onto the stage to surround Drake in a cloud of lights to the roar of the audience. In another guest appearance, the Lucie micro drones created a glittering wave in the song Look Alive before forming a red 3D cross that rotates around Drake. Verity officials said the Grammy-winning rapper’s tour is the first of its kind to launch Lucie micro-drones on the heels of shows for rock stars Metallica and Circus Knie.

Last year, more than 1 billion people watched an indoor drone show created by Verity during China Central Television’s Chinese New Year’s Gala broadcast.

Billed as the “world’s most-watched TV program,” the broadcast featured 88 microdrones flying over major Chinese music stars Sun Nan and Jason Zhang.

During a song, the drones flew from the back of the stage festooned in red “drone costumes” shaped like lanterns and hovered like butterflies over 50 performers dressed as blossoming cherry trees.