Semafone has appointed Gary E. Barnett to the role of CEO, replacing Tim Critchley who had been in the position since 2009, as the company prepares to expand its presence in the U.S. market.

Barnett is recognised as an authority on contact center (CC) and unified communications (UC) technologies and solutions. With a 30-year track record of delivering leadership and stakeholder value in senior leadership roles at both Avaya and Aspect Software, he was recognised by the contact center industry with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have someone of Gary Barnett’s calibre and experience to lead Semafone into the future,” said David Sear, Semafone’s chairman. “Barnett is the perfect fit with his deep knowledge and market expertise as a pioneer of contact center technologies. It’s an exciting and pivotal time in Semafone’s development as the company looks to further expand into the U.S. market and Barnett will provide the leadership needed to successfully take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead.”

“I am privileged to have the opportunity to bring my passion for contact center compliance and extensive market experience to the CEO role at Semafone,” said Barnett.

“Working closely with Semafone, its customers and partners in my previous role, I’ve developed a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that truly matter most. I am thrilled to begin executing on those opportunities, address the industry’s challenges, and drive Semafone to innovate and evolve with faster, frictionless cloud technology – further consolidating the company as the world’s most trusted solution for protecting telephone-based card data.”

Speaking on behalf of the board, Sear said: “Tim Critchley has done an amazing job building Semafone from the ground up and overseeing our entry into the U.S. market. We wish him further success as he pursues new opportunities.”