Black Swan appoints Patrick Prefontaine as BSA's Chief Commercial Officer
The appointment is part of the ongoing growth of BSA through its innovative work, including delivering inflight solutions to airlines, such as International Airlines Group’s (IAG).
Patrick has over 20 years in management and board-level roles at international online media and emerging technology businesses. He joins Black Swan from his previous position of Vice-President, Strategic Partnerships at Global Eagle, a global provider of passenger experience-based satellite connectivity and content to markets across air, sea and land. He is experienced in managing long-standing strategic partnerships with equipment manufacturers, content partners and web based solution providers, and providing new and innovative solutions to airline clients. Prior to working in the aviation industry Patrick founded an entrepreneurial venture, ACME Multimedia Inc, a web design and software development firm he successfully built, with his partners, and sold in 2001.
Steve King, CEO and Co-Founder at Black Swan commented: “2017 has been an exciting year for all of us here at Black Swan Avionics. I’ve admired Patrick’s work for many years. His vision and passion for making the inflight experience better for passengers and a more optimal profit line for airlines resonates through our whole company. This feels like the right time to bring Patrick on board and spread the word.”
Patrick Prefontaine added: “The platform we are building allows passengers to manage their inflight experience via an integrated seatback interactive and connectivity portal. From browsing, to purchasing, across food, drinks, amenity kits, Duty Free and Wi-Fi packages, all the while providing entertainment and audio. Alongside this, the technology offers airlines a holistic view of usage through automated reports providing insights and metrics not possible before now. Over time this will be able to provide a full view of customer behaviours and preferences.
Steve continued: “We have a clear strategic vision for the continued growth of our Avionics business, so it’s vital that we build a team that is hugely excited to build on the innovation we have already delivered. Patrick is not only hugely trusted across the industry, he is also a business leader with a truly entrepreneurial spirit and represents everything Black Swan believes in.”
Black Swan Data Ltd is a UK data analytics start-up company and has been in business since 2011. The company was ranked as the UK’s fastest growing private business in 2015 by The Sunday Times and by the same publication in 2016 was named to have the fastest-growing international sales of any UK SME. Black Swan ranked sixth in the Financial Times 'Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies, 2017'.
The company employs over 250 people in offices in London, Exeter, Reading, Los Angeles, New York, Cape Town, Budapest and Szeged providing global clients with data tools, solutions and products in the Marketing space. With expertise in Data Science, Insights and Innovation, Trends and Activation Black Swan uses predictive analytics to transform the way brands engage with their consumers.
Black Swan Avionics (BSA), a subsidiary of Black Swan Data, works with over 70 of the world’s leading airlines, including Cathay, Lufthansa and Southwest, through its long-term channel partnership with Panasonic Avionics Corporation (PAC). BSA is the sole provider of portal development to PAC (the market-leader for supplying IFEC hardware to airlines).
BSA also has a number of direct airline relationships for cross-platform IFEC solutions. These fully integrated solutions bring together an in-seat interactive SDK, pair & pay technology, custom portal and app development, crew applications and data resource management in a holistic approach.
