Swiss advertising solutions and sports rights firm uniqFEED has announced the appointment of Patrick Hastings as its new chief operations officer (COO).
Hastings, who has worked as an executive in live sports broadcasting and virtual advertising, will join uniqFEED immediately, and will be based in Zurich, Switzerland, at the company's headquarters.
As COO, Hastings will assume overall responsibility for the function and operational delivery of client requirements globally. He will oversee a team of broadcast professionals, virtual advertising software operators, and the company's quality assurance department.
Hastings has over 17 years of experience in live sports broadcasting, including eleven years in virtual advertising.
He has held various senior roles across the sports and media industries, most notably as general manager of Australia-based virtual advertising solutions provider Broadcast Virtual.
Hastings led uniqFEED's Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia–Pacific (APAC) commercial function across 2021 and 2022, and indeed has been the COO on an interim basis since October.
Prior to joining uniqFEED, he ran his own consulting company and advised major international leagues on virtual advertising strategies.
Hastings takes over from outgoing COO Simon Bowler, who was in the role for over four-and-a-half years.
uniqFEED chief executive Roger Hall said: “I am delighted that Patrick can take on this vital role for uniqFEED at a time of a rapidly growing roster of live sports events and clients.
“His deep understanding of both the technical and commercial aspects of virtual advertising, combined with his exceptional leadership skills, make him the ideal choice to lead our operations function.
“During Simon Bowler’s tenure as COO, he successfully transformed the company into a broadcast-centric business, setting a strong foundation for Patrick to build upon as we enter our next phase of growth.
“We are grateful for Simon's significant contributions and, while we are sad to see him go, we respect his decision to pursue new opportunities and wish him the very best in the next chapter of his career."
Patrick Hastings added: "I am honored to step into the role of COO at uniqFEED. Simon Bowler has set an exceptional standard, and I am committed to building on his achievements.
“uniqFEED has made remarkable strides in the virtual advertising space, and I look forward to working with our talented team, clients, and partners to deliver on our ambitions. Together, we will continue to innovate and strengthen our position as a leader in this evolving industry."
