APAC will remain central to Irdeto’s next chapter, says Axel Gallant

As content distribution models across Asia Pacific grow more complex, the pressure on technology providers to stay ahead of piracy, secure digital platforms, and enable sustainable growth has never been greater. 

Speaking with APB+‘s Shaun Lim, new Irdeto CEO Axel Gallant discusses how his experience managing pay-TV businesses across Asia, Africa, and Europe shapes his priorities for the role, and why the Asia-Pacific region will remain a key focus as broadcasters navigate the shift to IP-based and streaming delivery.

Coming from CANAL+, where you managed pay-TV businesses across Africa, Europe, and Asia, what lessons from those markets will most directly shape your priorities as Irdeto’s CEO? Are there specific areas of the business where you intend to focus first?

Axel Gallant: Having worked across Asia, Africa and Europe, one of the key lessons I have learned is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to growth. This is particularly true in Asia, where each market has its own unique dynamics, consumer behaviours, regulatory environment and technology adoption patterns. There is no single “Asia” market, but rather a diverse collection of countries, each evolving at its own pace.

What has impressed me about Irdeto is the strong footprint and trusted relationships the company has built across the region over many years. Irdeto has established itself as a valued partner to broadcasters, platform operators and content owners by understanding local market needs while delivering world-class technology and services.

As CEO, my priority will be to build on that foundation, staying close to our customers and helping them address their most important challenges, whether that is protecting content, securing digital platforms, combating piracy or enabling new business models. At the same time, I want to ensure we continue innovating and investing in the technologies that will help our customers succeed in a region that continues to lead the digital transformation of media and entertainment.

Given your experience managing CANAL+’s pay-TV operations in Asia, how do you view the region’s importance to Irdeto’s growth strategy, particularly as broadcasters across APAC navigate piracy threats and the shift to IP-based and streaming delivery?

Gallant: Having worked in Asia, I have seen firsthand both the opportunities and challenges these market transitions create. The region is strategically important for Irdeto and will remain a key focus area for the business.

Across APAC, we are seeing continued investment in streaming services, premium sports rights, digital content ecosystems and connected platforms, alongside growing pressure to protect revenues and deliver seamless consumer experiences.

APAC is leading the digital transformation of the media industry, with consumers embracing digital services faster than almost anywhere else in the world. That rapid pace of change means operators are continually investing to keep up with evolving consumer expectations, while technology providers like Irdeto must innovate just as quickly to stay ahead of emerging threats.

As content distribution models continue to evolve, security and trust become even more critical. Content owners and service providers need solutions that not only combat increasingly sophisticated piracy operations but also secure digital services, protect customer relationships and enable sustainable growth.

Irdeto is exceptionally well positioned to support these priorities through its expertise in content protection, anti-piracy, cybersecurity and digital platform security.

While there is no single APAC market, many regional technology players benefit from operating at scale, allowing them to innovate rapidly and creating additional competitive pressure for national and regional operators.

We have built a strong foundation across APAC, and I see significant opportunities to further expand our role as a trusted technology partner as the region continues to lead innovation in digital entertainment and connected services. By staying close to our customers and helping them address both current and emerging challenges, we will continue supporting their growth and success in an increasingly connected world.