NEXO co-founder Michael Johnson passes away

Establishing the French brand alongside Eric Vincenot and Thierry Tranchant, “Micky” contributed to the expansion of NEXO over nearly 30 years, in which he travelled the world and engaged with customers. The entrepreneur was also a patron of arts, music and theatre, in addition to being an avid art collector.

The world of pro audio looked very different when the NEXO founders assembled the initial building blocks of the company in 1979. With continued technical advancements, market demands and the expansion of its distribution network, the independent company weathered many changes by adapting quickly to changes.

Whilst the company continues to be based to the north of Paris, Englishman Johnson resided in London. Prior to the 2008 acquisition by Yamaha Corporation, NEXO built a formidable international network of more than 80 distributors. Notable launches during Johnson’s ownership included the iconic PS models (PS10, PS15 and PS8) followed by the point source Alpha Series and the company’s introduction into line array technology with the GEO Series. Always taking a distinctively independent approach to audio technology design, NEXO’s wide portfolio of patents garnered under Johnson and Vincenot is a testament to its engineering achievements.

Having ended his 29-year reign at NEXO as president to enjoy his retirement, Michael Johnson leaves a rich legacy behind.