Kudelski Group

The Kudelski Group (SIX: KUD.S) is a Swiss company that manufactures hardware and software digital security and convergent media systems for the delivery of digital and interactive content. Its technologies are used in services and applications requiring access control and digital rights management for the monetization of digital media by content owners and service providers for digital television and interactive applications across broadcast, broadband and mobile delivery networks. The Kudelski Group is also involved in the area of access control and management of people or vehicles to sites and events. It additionally offers professional recorders and high-end hi-fi products. The Kudelski Group is headquartered in Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne. It operates in five continents and employs about 3500 people. Its services and content protection technologies are used by more than 120 leading pay-TV operators around the world securing content delivered to more than 133 million active smart cards and devices. Its products have been integrated into more than 150 million devices, enabling advanced user interfaces, video-on-demand, personal video recording, advanced advertising and a variety of enhanced television applications (end of 2010).

The company's first successful product was the Nagra tape recorder, developed by Polish researcher Stefan Kudelski. In 1991, his son André Kudelski succeeded him as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

History

1951
Creation of the company by Stefan Kudelski and launch of the first portable recorder, the Nagra I

1958
Release of the Nagra III,the legendary radio, TV and cinema recorder

1965
US Agencies start using the miniature NAGRA SN secretly. Worldwide expansion from 1974.

1983
Joint project-venture with Ampex (US) and launch of the AMPEX-NAGRA VPR-5, the world’s smallest, lightest professional portable C-format video recorder

1989
Canal+ adopts Kudelski’s access control system for pay television

1991
André Kudelski succeeds Stefan Kudelski as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
First million analog decoders sold; conditional access TV systems become Kudelski’s core business

1992
Creation of Nagra+, a joint-venture with Canal+
Launch of the Nagra D, the first portable professional 4-track 24 bits digital recorder

1995
First order contract (from with EchoStar) for a Nagravision digital system, marking the arrival of Nagravision on the North American market

1996
André Kudelski receives an Emmy Award from the National Academy of Arts and Sciences for achievements in the area of pay-TV conditional access and scrambling systems.

1997
Digital pay television becomes the company’s core business
Nagra Audio launches a range of high-end Hi-Fi products

1998
Creation of NagraStar, a joint-venture with EchoStar, and of NagraCard

2001
Expansion into the public access business. Acquisition of SKIDATA, inventor of the first handsfree ski access system.

2006
Strategic investments for the development of the Digital TV ecosystem
Acquisition of the Digital TV activity of SCM Microsystems resulting in the creation of SmarDTV

2007
Acquisition of a controlling interest in OpenTV
First solutions designed for hybrid networks

2008
First end-to-end digital television solutions
Third generation security solutions based on a diversified and segmented approach to security

2009
Acquisition of 100% of OpenTV: the Group's solutions manage the entire pay-TV ecosystem
Launch of multiscreen solutions

2010
Expansion strategy focusing on emerging markets

2012
Launch of Kudelski Security, the cyber security business of the Group
Creation of the Intellectual Property activity to manage the Group's strong IP portfolio
Creation of digital TV multiscreen and high definition (4K) security solutions

2013
Production launch of OpenTV5
Launch of PRM content security at Dish Network (USA)

2014
First major patent licence agreement signed with Cisco
Kudelski Group is no.1 CAS provider worldwide with the acquisition of Conax
Divestment of NagraID and NagraID Security
Divestment of OpenTV's traffic and billing product line

2015
SKIDATA expands in the US ith the acquisition of Sentry Control Systems
Kudelski Security launches the first Swiss Cyber Fusion Center
Cooperation agreement with Netflix
Deployment of next-generation technologies
Success of integrated securiy, next-generation middleware and multiscreen solutions

Subsidiaries

• SKIDATA, headquartered in Austria, manufactures access control systems and software for their management. SKIDATA provides turnstiles, admission ticketing, electronic ticketing systems, boom barriers, and other pedestrian and vehicular access control devices to ski resorts, parking lots, amusement parks, shopping malls, airports, and municipalities, among others.
• Nagravision is a developer of conditional access systems for cable and satellite television, and a number of other companies involved in the audio, Internet security, digital television, public access and smart card industries.
• OpenTV is a software company for interactive and digital television. Its primary business is the sale of set-top-box operating systems and software as well as digital advertising products.
• Kudelski Security is an international cybersecurity company providing innovative, independent and tailored security solutions for large enterprise and public sector clients.

External links

• Kudelski Group Company Website