Star Group's Edward Hanapole says HK is the place to be for media technology's evolution
While the intricate mechanisms remain a mystery to many, digital technology has drastically changed the media and entertainment industries in a short time, creating a new platform of application by giving life to multimedia content, and on-demand programming. The digital evolution includes the creation of analogue-to-digital converters and technology convergence that has made it possible to generate programming that appeals to the appetites of mainstream and niche audiences.
'Within a few short years digital media technology has become more advanced, making it accessible and increasingly useful for people all around the world,' said Edward Hanapole, Star Group chief information officer in charge of overseeing the company's information service and spearheading investment in digital media technology.
'One of the greatest joys of this business is that you have to understand the dynamics. Digital technology is not just providing customers with more choices it also has an impact on the way we operate across the entire organisation.'
He said it was the buzz and excitement, and what he described as the 'tremendous opportunities' offered by digital technology development in Asia that tempted him, his wife and their three daughters to Hong Kong from the United States. While his job involves a lot of travel, it is considerably less than the 360,000km a year Mr Hanapole used to clock up during his tenure with IBM.
'There is a lot going on in the world of digital technology, such as high definition streaming, and Asia is one of the places where some of the developments are taking place the quickest. Hong Kong is the right place to be at the right time. I enjoy working with a team that has drive and pride and, together, we are taking our brand to the next level,' said Mr Hanapole, who previously held the position of vice-president, global technology for News Corporation, which wholly owns the Star Group.