Avi Cohen, CEO of RRsat, named 2014 Teleport Executive of the Year

​New York City, February 4, 2014 – The World Teleport Association today announced that Avi Cohen, CEO of RRsat, has been named as its 2014 Teleport Executive of the Year. Mr. Cohen will be honored during WTA’s Teleport Awards for Excellence luncheon on March 11 during SATELLITE 2014. The Teleport Executive of the Year award is presented to an individual for demonstrated entrepreneurship, leadership and innovation in the development or operation of a teleport-based business.

Mr. Cohen was named the CEO of RRsat in July 2012. His challenge was to take RRsat – already a global player – to the next level of business success and value creation. Over the last 12 months, Mr. Cohen has led RRsat in its "Glocal” strategy – become a global leader with local footprints in key markets around the world. Part of this strategy included two acquisitions: SM2 Sports & Media Solutions and JCA TV. RRsat also consolidated two sites at Israeli HQ into a new state of the art Broadcast Center in Emek Haela. On the financial end, Mr. Cohen as led RRsat to all-time record results: expectation of full-year growth for 2013 revenues in the range of 6% to 10% year-over-year growth from 2012.

  "Only a handful of teleport operating companies have grown to significant size,” said WTA executive director Robert Bell. "It is a highly competitive, capital-intensive business that is also built on personal relationships and service excellence. That is a high bar for any company to pass, and we salute Mr. Cohen for continuing the work of his predecessor, another Teleport Executive of the Year, and taking RRsat to the next level.” 

During the 2014 Teleport Awards for Excellence luncheon ceremony, sponsored by SES, WTA will also honor its Independent Teleport of the Year and Teleport Technology of the Year. The luncheon begins at noon on the 11th of March and is free to WTA members who register. Attendance is also available on a paid basis to non-members. Registration is available online at www.worldteleport.org.

In addition to Mr. Cohen, the prestigious list of Teleport Executive of the Year alumni includes Bill Tillson, Co-CEO of Encompass Digital Media; Adrian Ballintine, Founder and president of NewSat Ltd.; Jaime Dickinson, President of NewCom International; Doug Tutt, Chief Operating Officer and President of Global Energy Services, CapRock Communications; the late Kenneth Miller, President and Chief Operating Officer, Globecomm Systems; David Rivel, Founder & CEO, RRsat Global Communications Network; Nick Thompson, Managing Director, Arqiva Broadcast & Media; Brent J. Gale, Vice President of Satellite and Broadcast Operations, EchoStar; and Norberto Alvarez Vitale, President, Teleport Internacional Buenos Aires. Click here for a complete list.