By TVBEurope Staff
Published: November 27, 2023 Updated: November 28, 2023
Chris Fellows, senior director of international field engineering at Zixi, tells TVBEurope how his journey in the media industry has led to surfing in Sydney, taking a boat trip down the Nile, watching fireworks in Tokyo and getting lost at 2am in a fish market in Kuala Lumpur! Talk us through an average day in [ ]
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Chris Fellows, senior director of international field engineering at Zixi, tells TVBEurope how his journey in the media industry has led to surfing in Sydney, taking a boat trip down the Nile, watching fireworks in Tokyo and getting lost at 2am in a fish market in Kuala Lumpur!
Talk us through an average day in your role Having two young children, the day generally starts early and then proceeds to be a whirlwind of tasks until they're at school and nursery!
My role spans both EMEA and APAC, so the working day normally starts with a catch-up with the Zixi team in Singapore and maybe an APAC customer call, before their working day is over.
Being at Zixi means I speak to many direct customers and technology partners alike, and having the opportunity to work with a large range of people is a real highlight for me. Usually, it starts with a couple of Europe-based customer calls and demos, lasting throughout the day, and then ending with some internal company calls with the Zixi US team. I do a large amount of web calls, but also make sure to have some days out visiting clients and attending conferences and exhibitions. I still feel that face-to-face meetings are vital to keeping a healthy work/life and maintaining good connections with people.
I've worked at home for the last five years with Zixi. I'm lucky enough to have a nice office at our house, or I can walk five minutes into the village, and steal a desk at my wife's office, which is a converted 18th-century wicker basket factory. It's often a topic of conversation on web calls!
How did you get started in the media industry? After finishing my Multimedia Technology course at university, I worked in the IT department at a school. It was then that I spotted an advert for a graduate role in broadcast in the Midlands (UK). Since most of the broadcast industry at that time was London-based, this was a rare opportunity. I managed to land the role at a company called Omnibus, which developed broadcast automation systems and had the first channel-in-a-box' playout solution. I started off as a project engineer, doing multiples of customer installations around the globe. It was an incredible opportunity for a fresh-out-of-university graduate. I was lucky to experience surfing in Sydney, taking a boat trip down the Nile, watching fireworks in Tokyo and getting lost at 2am in a fish market in Kuala Lumpur!
What training did you have before entering the industry? During university I studied audio production, video production, 3D animation creation, programming and broadcast video, so I had a good foundation. Then, while working in an IT department at a high school, I learned a lot about networks and security, as well as real-world troubleshooting (plenty of switching things off then on again!) I also gained plenty of experience of communicating through meeting and talking to people in previous jobs, at a supermarket, behind a couple of bars and working for a removal company. I do feel that being able to communicate with people, and being confident to approach and make conversation with people, is one of the greatest assets it's crucial within work and in life in general.
Why do you enjoy working in the industry? I get a kick from the fast pace of development, and the ever-shifting technology in conjunction with the high demand for faultless performance. Meaning that, as vendors, we need to innovate to create interesting new solutions, based on technology advances, but also that they need to work for 99.999% of the time. I also love being able to get my hands on new technologies and getting stuck into figuring out how things work. As well as the technical side, a huge amount of enjoyment comes from the range of people I meet. I feel the broadcast industry has a brilliant, diverse and friendly culture with an affable bunch of people at its core, that makes working within it, a great pleasure.
What piece of advice would you offer someone looking to explore a role similar to yours? My role combines being a subject matter expert, a salesperson and an engineer. I think to do this role, you need to have hands-on experience and have a basis of logical thinking. I would encourage people to find subjects in the field that interest them and try to keep up to date with the latest technology advances. It really helps when talking to potential clients, to be an expert and an adviser and feel confident in answering their questions.
Finally, smile and aim to keep things buoyant. Everyone wants their time at work to be as enjoyable as possible and will gravitate towards people that can help keep things upbeat. That goes for job interviews, sales pitches, internal meetings and pretty much everything else in between.
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
11/06/2026
As podcast formats evolve in the streaming era, podcasting needs updated, transp...
11/06/2026
As Spotify's global RADAR program enters its sixth year in Italy, a new class of artists is stepping into the spotlight. Today, we're announcing the six...
11/06/2026
Pride Month is a time for celebration, reflection, and amplifying the diverse stories and perspectives from the LGBTQIA+ community that enrich our world. To hel...
11/06/2026
First in new line of muted string libraries
VSL have just announced the launch of two new string libraries that represent the first two instalments in a new...
11/06/2026
New colour option for 61-key Launchkey MK4
At Superbooth 2025, Novation introduced the Launchkey Mini 37 White and Launchkey 49 White, bringing an additiona...
11/06/2026
Larger, but still compact!
Arturia's popular compact MIDI controller keyboard is now available in a, well, slightly less compact version! The new MiniLa...
11/06/2026
Eurosatory 2026: Rohde & Schwarz shapes the new-generation battlefield Rohde & Schwarz unveils next generation SIGINT/EW and CUAS solutions on uncrewed system...
11/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz unveils NEMACS - Directional, ultra secure connectivity for the ...
11/06/2026
Thursday 11 June 2026
Daisy May Cooper rallies the nation ahead of ICC Women's T20 World CupTurn on cookies to view this content. Go to Privacy options and...
11/06/2026
Summer solstice shows from C il House and Late Date from 9pm on Saturday 20 Jun...
10/06/2026
Get Hands-On with Interfaces & Mic Preamp Brands
If youre after a new interface or preamp, then GearExpo UK is the place to be! Well have a whole host of au...
10/06/2026
November 13-14 2026, The Midway, San Francisco
Following their recent rebranding, MONO Music Conference (formerly Music Expo) have officially announced thei...
10/06/2026
Debut instrument free for limited time
deFORM is the debut release from newly founded developer ebbandflow, and it's being offered as a free download fo...
10/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and TRUMPF advance laser-based drone defense with THORIS LCS Rohde & Schwarz is showcasing THORIS at ILA 2026: A sovereign, end to end counter...
10/06/2026
MAHLE and Rohde & Schwarz develop application for sensor testing of modern drive...
10/06/2026
10 Jun 2026
VEON's Banglalink Brings Every World Cup 2026 Match to Football...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
How to watch every ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 match live on Sky Sports
Where is the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 availabl...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
P RLA brings first-ever Beautifully Clean Oral Care'...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
Sky reveals pulse-pounding first teaser trailer for upco...
10/06/2026
Wuppertal June 10, 2026
Riedel Artist at the Heart of the 14th World Live Neurovascular ConferenceAt the 14th World Live Neurovascular Conference (WLNC) in Li...
09/06/2026
Last month, Spotify hosted PURE FLOWERS LIVE, a special event celebrating the re...
09/06/2026
Last month, RADAR U.K. artist Skye Newman took the stage in East London for a sp...
09/06/2026
Company to cease operating on 30 June 2026
Australian loudspeaker and amplifier manufacturer Wayne Jones Audio have announced that after much consideration,...
09/06/2026
Increases low-end weight and character
The latest plug-in release from Sheffield-based fedDSP aims to offer an all-in-one solution for users in search of mo...
09/06/2026
Introduces AI Studio Assistant, Moises Studio integration & more
Fender Studio have just announced the launch a significant update that brings an array of n...
09/06/2026
The BBC has found its Hercule Poirot.
After Deadline revealed last month that t...
09/06/2026
Filming to take place in Holmfirth
9th June 2026, London: U&GOLD is heading bac...
09/06/2026
X-Rite Pantone Launches Offset360 to Modernize Color Control Across Existing Pre...
09/06/2026
09 Jun 2026
VEON Appoints Serkan Ozturk as Chief of Staff & Strategy Officer Dubai and New York, June 9, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a global digital oper...
09/06/2026
Tuesday 9 June 2026
Katie Price: Nothing to Hide, a candid and unfiltered accou...
09/06/2026
Enni Continues to Rely on Arvato Systems - And Will Be Using AEP.EnerS4 Billing Solution
Arvato Systems to implement transformation project for SAP S/4HANA Ut...
09/06/2026
These special programmes will highlight RT 's connection with the Irish diaspora
This year, RT is marking 100 years of public broadcasting in Ireland with...
08/06/2026
At Spotify, our commitment to the LGBTQIA community is year-round. Through GLOW, our global music program, we celebrate and amplify the contributions of queer ...
08/06/2026
Get Hands-on With Keyboard & Synth Brands
GearExpo UK wouldn't be complete without some synth action, and we've got some of the industry's most ...
08/06/2026
50 popular in-ear monitoring system profiles added
The latest update for IK Multimedia's headphone-correction system has just arrived, and introduces ca...
08/06/2026
Manny Marroquin signature cans upgraded with SLAM Technology
The flagship model in Audeze's Manny Marroquin Signature Series has just been treated to an...
08/06/2026
Air domain supremacy redefined - New counter UAS, space solutions and directiona...
08/06/2026
he BBC and BritBox have announced that Edward Bluemel (We Might Regret This, My ...
08/06/2026
Plus, 20% off TVs ahead of kick-offMonday 8 June 2026
Sky introduces Real Time...
08/06/2026
FOX Secures Live NFL Game Package in Mexico Starting in Fall 2026 Agreement Features Thursday Night Football, Sunday Games Package, Thanksgiving Day Games, al...
08/06/2026
FOX One, FOX Sports and Indeed Name Austin Franklin and Kevin Akoto as FOX One C...
08/06/2026
Meet us on the show floor
Stand #286310 Discover Nara, the media management tool used by major facilities including Harbor and Molinare.
Nara v2 introduces re...
08/06/2026
L'art de l'Image dans Reflet dans un diamant mort' Une conversation avec le directeur de la photographie Manuel Dacosse, SBC et l' talonneur Pe...
08/06/2026
Embracing today's modern media workflows: FilmLight presents Nara 2.0, with FilmLight API Designed to support the growing demands of today's production ...
By TVBEurope Staff 
