Interview with Jill Ezard, Pace: In the top set

Only four years ago it would have been hard to imagine Pace announcing revenues of £1.1 billion. Even harder to predict that it would become the world’s second largest pay-to-view TV digital set-top box maker, taking over from Technicolor and now biting at the heels of Motorola, which holds top position.

Back in 2006 Pace was suffering all the symptoms of a failing company – it was making a loss of £15 million on sales of £175 million, it had debts of £30 million and its bank had withdrawn its borrowing facility, putting the company at threat of bankruptcy. Pace was also experiencing a crisis of leadership and culture – leaving employees feeling frustrated and disempowered.