Amped: Maurice van Heerden on building Planetworld

Loading player...
Planetworld, a distributor of audio gear from brands such as Sonos and Shure, has proven that there is still strong demand among South African consumers for specialist audio.
The company, which was founded by four brothers, has built a strong niche in the audio market, led by Sonos, but also representing brands such as JVC, Kenwood, Cambridge Audio, Alpine, Pioneer, Onkyo and Savant.
Planetworld co-founder, director and CEO Maurice van Heerden – one of the four Van Heerden brothers – joins Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show (TCS) to chat about the history of the company, including:
• The 2008 acquisition of Planet Electronics, which formed the basis on what became Planetworld.
• The 2017 acquisition of Audiotronic, which brought the Sonos, Polk Audio, Onkyo and Dali brands to the stable.
• What it’s like going into business with siblings – and why it worked so well for Planetworld.
• Why Sonos has changed the world of audio, and why Planetworld believes there is still a huge market opportunity for the brand in South Africa.
In the TCS interview, Van Heerden also chats about the state of the economy and the impact – or not – that this has had on high-end audio sales.
Lastly, he unveils details about Planetworld’s new initiative, Rockstar Studios.
Don’t miss a great discussion!
2 May 2023 8AM English South Africa Technology · Business

Other recent episodes

The company building a ‘living computer’ with human cells

The invention of the silicon transistor was fundamental to the success of the digital age, driving the core of the modern-day digital economy. The rise of generative AI has put hardware at the epicentre of the next wave of economic growth, with chip makers such as Nvidia and AMD reaching…
23 Oct 8AM 19 min

Why South Africans are starting to spend crypto, not just trade it

Cryptocurrencies are increasingly moving beyond being seen as an investment asset as users find more real-world uses in everyday contexts. It appears that crypto is becoming more like cash – with users prepared to use it as the point of sale. Crypto payments specialist MoneyBadger recently signed a deal with…
22 Oct 5AM 29 min

PayInc CEO Stephen Linnell on South Africa's payments revolution

South Africa’s payments ecosystem is evolving at a rapid pace. PayInc – previously BankservAfrica – sits at the core of the country’s payments infrastructure. As the builder and manager of the PayShap instant payment rails, PayInc is central to the Reserve Bank’s plans to drive digital inclusion through payment modernisation…
25 Sep 3AM 25 min