Phil Dudderidge, the founder and Chairman of Focusrite Group has been awarded with an OBE in the New Year Honours List in recognition of his contribution to the professional audio industry.
Phil has enjoyed a distinguished career, having worked as Led Zeppelin’s touring sound engineer in 1970 before setting up RSD Systems Ltd — a company dedicated to building bespoke PA systems and custom mixing consoles — the following year. Over the coming years, the company evolved into Soundcraft Electronics Ltd, specialising in developing and manufacturing mixing consoles for both the live and studio markets and eventually being sold to Harman International Inc in 1988.
In 1989, Phil acquired the assets of Focusrite Ltd, and rebuilt the business as Focusrite Audio Engineering Ltd. Focusrite Plc was then formed in 2014 to take the group public on AIM, a sub-market of the London Stock Exchange. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Focusrite from 1989 until becoming Executive Chairman in 2012, and then Non-executive Chairman of Focusrite Plc in January 2022.
Today, the Focusrite Group now includes 13 pro audio brands: Focusrite, Focusrite Pro, Novation, Ampify, ADAM Audio, Martin Audio, Optimal Audio, Linea Research Sequential, Oberheim, Sonnox, OutBoard and TiMax.
“I am honoured, humbled and thrilled to have been awarded an OBE. This is not just an honour for me, but is recognition of all the incredible people I have worked with over the decades, particularly our amazing team at the Focusrite Group. Everybody attached to the Company has had a lot of faith to get us to where we are today and I've had so many people thank me for the opportunities they've had with both Soundcraft and Focusrite. I am most proud of the fact that both companies have provided opportunities for people to develop their careers. I am equally as grateful to all the employees, retailers, distributors and customers throughout the years. They are the ones who helped to build Focusrite to where it is today. I would like to thank everyone who has supported me over the years, but particularly my family and my wife Jenny.” - Phil Dudderidge OBE
“Phil is a true colossus in the audio industry and he thoroughly deserves this award. We are a passionate bunch united by a single objective: to smash through barriers and unleash boundless creativity in the world of sound. Nobody personifies these values more than Phil. The Group is so proud of this public recognition of all he has achieved. Many congratulations from us all.” - Tim Carroll, CEO, Focusrite