Panini announces new headquarters and leadership as digital ID spurs growth

2020 has been a particularly successful year for businesses that transformed to meet the growing global need for digital identity. Panini and Genetec, two digital identity technology firms, have announced the opening of new headquarters in Italy and Austria respectively. These expansions signal the companies’ rapid growth and successful adaption to meet the growing need for digital payment and security services.

Panini introduces new CEO and announces move to new headquarters

Payment processing and digital ID authentication firm Panini announced its upcoming move to a new corporate headquarters in Torino, Italy set for April. The statement was made along with the introduction of Panini’s new CEO Richard Kane, who will be replacing retiring CEO Michael Pratt.

In addition to Kane, another, unnamed executive with a background in financial products and solutions is set to join Panini on February 1 to focus on strategic marketing, product development, and international sales. Kane, a former sales and operations executive at Canon Solutions America, will be leading Panini’s transformation into becoming a global leader in the identity authentication market.

“Richard is a dynamic, high performing leader with twenty-five years of proven ability to build and manage teams that generate record sales and profits in highly competitive industries. We’re confident he’s the right person to lead Panini through our reinvention and beyond,” said Panini Chairman Vittorio Levi.

Panini, which recently entered the identity authentication market, credited last year’s growth in consolidated revenues and earnings to the success of their new identity solutions products. The company’s intelligent scanner EvereXt, a check capture solution for banks, had particular success in earning Panini a larger share in the remote deposit capture (RDC) market.

Much of the company’s rapid success stems from its timely action to address the growing need for secure digital ID, authentication and payment processing amid the ongoing pandemic. “In 2020, Panini worked through limitations and difficulties related to COVID-19 thanks to the relentless engagement of our entire staff,” added Levi. “These outstanding results position our now debt-free company to invest and grow further with expansion of secure identity s  olutions and a renewed effort in international markets.”

Levi thanked outgoing CEO Michael Pratt for his service to the company. “Panini is experiencing significant, exciting changes, but we’d be remiss not to thank the leader who guided us to this point. The entire Panini family is beyond grateful for Michael Pratt’s unwavering dedication and commitment to our company for nearly two decades.”

Michael Pratt added, “I am very proud of the team at Panini for all we have achieved together, and want to express my sincere gratitude to Panini’s customers, partners, and shareholders. The decision to retire was a difficult one, especially given my strong connection to the Panini family spanning decades and generations, but I leave knowing the company is poised for continued success in the next chapter of its amazing story.”

Genetec to expand its European footprint following the opening of its new headquarters

Genetec inaugurated its new European headquarters in Vienna, Austria. The new office will be Genetec’s 16th global outlet and is designed to expand the firm’s European R&D and regional sales operations, including biometrics integrations, aimed at the DACH region.

Genetec will employ international staff to provide support in multiple languages and combine the diverse cultural and professional skill-sets needed to serve this region. Due to its recent success and continuous growth, the company announced an extensive recruiting phase to grow its DACH regional team.

The recent expansion follows Genetec’s venture into the video analytics and privacy field after acquiring KiwiSecurity, an Austrian firm specialized in this field. Accordingly, Genetec plans to focus its research and development operations on providing secure and efficient solutions to its customer’s operational needs.

Genetec General Manager for Europe Cyrille Becker lauded his firm’s newest venture. “The new Vienna offices will give us the perfect platform to continue expanding our footprint into Central Europe and sustain the continued year-on-year growth we have achieved in Europe and the rest of the world. While right now everyone is safely working from home, our new offices will be there to support our long-term growth strategy and better meet the needs of our channel partners, end-users, and prospects in the region.”

Article Topics

appointments  |  authentication  |  biometrics  |  digital identity  |  Genetec  |  Panini