Don Ash

Donald Stuart Ash (March 23, 1957 – November 26, 2017) was a British businessman and philanthropist. He was the president, director Sales and Marketing, and co-founder of PlayBox Technology.. Don Ash is widely recognized as a pioneer of the Channel in the Box of the 1980s and 1990s, alongside with Ellis Griffithis.

Don Ash started his career as an engineer at GE Computers, later to become Marconi, working on commercial and military applications and at the same time building his own test equipment.   

After eight years Don Ash moved to Channel 4, the first automated channel in the world. On joining he was responsible for the technical installation ready for the launch in November 1982 and post launch was promoted to Senior Projects Engineer designing, drawing, installing and testing broadcast equipment and make alterations to existing equipment in the way it was used or expanded.   

Subsequently Don Ash moved on to BSB, later BskyB, having launched the first automated channel this was the first automated, multi-channel TV station in the world. Responsible for the progression of all Television related advances, expansions or changes within the operational areas. He liaised with Operations regarding their requirements; also with manufacturers and suppliers of other directly related services or products to ensure that orders were placed at the right time and to the most cost effective source.   

Metro Video International was the next step for Don Ash where he spent nine years in the systems sales market installing channels all over Europe. After being acquired by Visual Impact Don was promoted to Managing Director of Visual Impact Systems which provided turnkey broadcast solutions including one of the first channel in a box playout systems to TBN in the UK.   

His journey with playout systems carried on working with On-Air Systems before he started PlayBox Technology Limited in June 2006. Over the following 12 years Don Ash and his business partners built the various PlayBox companies to a multi-million company with more than 100 employees and systems placed in 120 countries over the world.