APEX in Profile: Niall McBain
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Niall McBain
CEO
Spafax
Niall has been with Spafax for 21 years, having joined as managing director in 1994. Six years later, he was appointed CEO. Early on at Spafax, he acquired the first syndication of the Olympic Games TV programming for airlines. Niall’s media carrier began with British Satellite Broadcasting where he helped launch the UK’s first direct-to-home satellite TV service in 1987. He went on to specialize in digital satellite services at DataVision Business Satellites, and later led Specialized Projects at Chrysalis Group PLC.
Fast Facts
Location: LHR
Now watching: Rugby World Cup
Favorite Airport: HKG
Favorite Aircraft: B747-100
How does the airline industry impact the content you create and curate? What are the challenges? What are the benefits?
With each technology benchmark, you have a new opportunity for content. Now with connectivity, there will be new types of content. It doesn’t always disrupt and remove the past, there are just new opportunities. The systems onboard, with the capacity they had for on-demand, created a real taste for binge viewing. Before that became a common term at home, it was happening on airlines. So, with each evolution there are different opportunities for how you create and curate the content experience.
How can airlines create ancillary revenue opportunities through connectivity solutions?
Many and various, really. In the airline space, you’re talking about a customer service environment, and a highly captive one. It’s an opportunity to create brand partnerships, sponsorships and all types of opportunity, not just with the technology, but also in the actual ambient space around the passenger when they’re traveling.
“With each technology benchmark, you have a new opportunity for content. Now with connectivity, there will be new types of content.”
How do content expectations change for people when they are traveling?
I think this is the really interesting area that we need to learn more about, but I think you only have to look at the way we’re all behaving with content now. It’s already exploded massively and it’s all to do with the mode and modality of people and how content needs evolve. For example, I watched the first season of Game of Thrones for the first time when I was onboard.
What can the entertainment industry learn for the airline industry? Is the airline industry closer to the viewer?
I think the entertainment industry could learn a lot from the airline industry, just in terms of international scope and coverage. With airlines, you take it for granted that they’re in 155 countries. You couldn’t say that of most content owners.
What do you think is the most overlooked aspect of the passenger experience?
I think someone needs to reinvent the security business. The way we’re standing around airports is really wrong.
How do you see in-flight entertainment evolving over the coming years? What will be the key drivers?
I am particularly interested in new types of content, new types of opportunity. That’s going to come through connectivity but it’s also coming through the interoperability of systems that used to be very exclusive, now having to interact with devices that are ubiquitous in people’s hands. I think that creates all sorts of opportunity for lengthening the engagement between airlines and their customers.
Your top three films of all time?
Enter the Dragon, Subway and Beverly Hills Cop
All photos by Vance Walstra.