Custos was founded in 2014 with the audacious dream of using the then-nascent blockchain technology to stop piracy. Having successfully protected over 3 million movies, ebooks, and documents, the company has matured both as a blockchain industry veteran and a recognized disruptor in the content protection industry. Pierre Hunter, an industry veteran himself, has recently joined the Custos team to lead business development and new market entry. We catch up with him to learn what he brings to the team.
Fred: Hi Pierre, thanks for taking the time to talk about your new role at Custos.
Pierre: Hallo Fred, it is a pleasure talking to you.
Fred: Can you tell us a bit about your career to date, and how you got involved at Custos?
Pierre: I have been working in the industry for quite some time. First in launching and managing pay TV platforms internationally at MNET back in the day and then moving into selling video security technology. Initially it was conditional access, then evolving to IPTV and most recently multi-DRM for OTT platforms. I got to know Custos during my time at Verimatrix and we have stayed in touch.
Fred: You have been in the content industry for a number of years. What is it at Custos that appealed to you?
Pierre: Custos’ novel and proven strategy of combining watermarking with blockchain technology gives the creators and distributors of content a powerful and cost effective set of tools to protect their valuable content against piracy - from conception to consumption.
Fred: When we first developed the Custos technology in 2014, only industry pioneers were willing to take a chance with blockchain. Do you think the market is ready for blockchain technology now?
Pierre: Blockchain as a decentralised distribution technology has matured over the years and the industry at large is recognising its strengths and the opportunities it offers for building and efficiently managing businesses globally. Adoption of this technology is expected to accelerate over the next few years.
Fred: What do you envision for the future of Custos?
Pierre: I believe Custos is facing an interesting and bright future.
Fred: Thank you again for your time, Pierre. We are excited to have you as part of the team.
Pierre: Thanks Fred. I am delighted to join you and the rest of the Custos team on this exciting journey ahead of us.
