Bauer Media Audio, the home of leading UK radio stations including Kiss, Hits and Absolute Radio, has announced a major investment in a new in-house software development hub in Manchester, UK.
The team will create innovative, business critical solutions to power its future platform and support all nine Bauer Media Audio markets across Europe.
Bringing critical software development in-house will give Bauer Media Audio greater control and flexibility, while new platforms will streamline and standardise workflows for commercial and content teams, while enabling local market customisation and unlocking greater scalability, faster innovation and long-term value.
Manchester was chosen for its strong tech talent pool, proximity to existing Bauer Media Audio teams – including Rayo and cloud enablement – and recent investment in refurbished offices. This reinforces Manchester’s position as a key technology centre for Bauer Media Audio, alongside its other locations.
READ MORE: High-profile new chair as North West podcast producer doubles audience in 12 months
The company added that, while London remains an important base, expanding in Manchester broadens the company’s technology footprint and supports closer collaboration across its European markets – recruitment for the new roles is already underway.
“Our investment in Manchester is a pivotal step in how we build the future of Bauer Media Audio,” said Simon Myciunka, president, Bauer Media Audio & CEO, Bauer Media Audio, UK. “By bringing core software development in-house, we’re giving our teams across all nine markets smarter, more innovative and connected tools. Manchester’s tech talent and its proximity to our existing audio and cloud teams make it the ideal place to create a hub that will drive innovation, unlock efficiencies and support our long-term growth across Europe.
David Andrande, CTO, Bauer Media Audio, added: “Our digital future depends on the platforms we build today. By creating this new development hub in Manchester, we’re bringing critical digital capabilities in-house, from more intelligent automation to richer, real-time insight across broadcast and digital audio. This investment allows us to move faster, iterate based on data and user feedback, and deliver a more seamless, scalable experience for listeners, clients and teams in every one of our markets.”
The investment is expected to deliver “significant commercial upside” through more effective advertising and measurable efficiency gains from streamlined systems. It follows the recent announcement of a significant upgrade to Bauer Media Audio’s European digital technology infrastructure, including the creation of a new Digital Services Technology Support Team based in Portugal.
