Roberts Radio has announced that Owen Watters is returning to the company as CEO.
He previously worked for the British audio brand for 14 years – six of which as CEO – before leaving in June 2019. He took the helm as Managing Director at Hama UK in February 2020.
But now, Mr Watters has re-joined Roberts and said he aims to get radio back on the agenda for consumers, while building on the brand’s strong connections with traditional and independent retailers and premium high street locations.
He said that as shopping habits continue to normalise following a shift to online during the pandemic, he plans to engage with traditional high-street consumers and champion the benefits of shopping in person, leaning into the expert advice and industry-leading service levels available at independent retailers.
“I am delighted to be re-joining Roberts Radio as CEO, a business I have always been passionate about and have followed closely since I first joined back in 2005,” he said.
“Roberts has continued to build a well-respected presence in the UK and in European markets, and I look forward to continuing to grow the brand’s success.”
Mr Watters said that more and more consumers are tuning into their radios – with podcasts and streaming services extending radio’s appeal – and now is “the right time” for Roberts to get radio back on the agenda, he said.
“Roberts has a firm reputation for quality, trust and reliability,” he went on, “and this provides us with the direction in which I intend to lead the brand forwards.”
During Mr Watters’ previous tenure with the company, his work paved the way for Roberts’ successful European expansion into territories such as France and Germany. The brand was also named Supplier of the Year three years in a row at the ERT Awards, while its first connected device – the iStream 94i – also won the What HiFi? Product of the Year award three years in a row.
