Perry Oosting, the CEO that helped stabilize the medium format camera company Hasselblad amid rumors of financial struggles, will be stepping down at the end of the month, the company announced today.
Oosting moved from the advisory board to the CEO in January of 2015. Two years later, the company says he has accomplished what he set out to achieve. The company says Oosting’s leadership helped bring financial stability, as well as a partnership with DJI.
The Chinese drone manufacturer is now a minority shareholder in Hasselblad — and was recently rumored to have moved up to a majority shareholder. Oosting’s work with the company helped bring DJI and other investors in to support the company. That financial backing allowed the company to fund the production of the X1D, the first medium-format mirrorless camera. When demand for the mirrorless took the company by surprise, DJI is rumored to have become a majority shareholder to help further fund production, but Hassleblad hasn’t yet confirmed that move.
Prior to Oosting’s leadership, the company was facing financial difficulties. As photography moved to digital cameras and smartphones, the iconic film company struggled to find a new identity before launching the H6D and then the X1D.
Now, Hasselblad says Oosting, who will remain with the company as an adviser to the board, has reached his goals and chose to step down. “Under his leadership, a foundation for future growth is established and the company has extended its customer base substantially,” Hassleblad’s advisory board said.
A current adviser, Paul Bram, will step in temporarily as the interim CEO. Along with his experience on the Hasselblad board, Bram has also led at Ericsson and Gambro. Bram said the company will continue in the strategic path Oosting helped set, specifying plans to continue growing in research and development as well as software development.
