Areal has appointed François Villaret as Chief Executive Officer, formalising a relationship that began when he joined the company as a strategic advisor in July 2025.
Villaret brings extensive experience in spatial audio, go-to-market strategy and international commercial development.
Prior to joining Areal, he spent seven years as Head of Business Development at immersive loudspeaker manufacturer HOLOPLOT, joining when it was a six-person team and serving as a management team member as the business grew to more than 130 people.
During that time, Villaret worked across go-to-market strategy, partnerships and commercial expansion, helping develop opportunities across live sound, experiential entertainment and other professional audio markets.
His experience spans landmark projects including Sphere in Las Vegas, major houses of worship and HOLOPLOT’s expansion into live sound, including Tomorrowland, where he first collaborated with the Areal team.
Areal’s current portfolio spans professional monitoring and live sound.
SR1 is a portable spatial reference system that enables engineers to monitor multichannel sessions up to 7.1.4 on headphones, while the Upmix Engine expands stereo sources across multi-speaker live systems in real time, helping create a more consistent listening experience across festivals, clubs and other large-scale venues.
Since joining Areal as a strategic advisor in July 2025, Villaret has worked closely with the team and shareholders on the company’s organisation and go-to-market strategy.
During this period, SR1 and the Upmix Engine progressed from beta testing to commercial launch, alongside the expansion of Areal’s distribution network across Europe and into new markets.
His appointment comes as the company enters its next phase, expanding its international footprint and product portfolio while strengthening the foundations to build a sustainable technology and professional audio company.
François Villaret, CEO of Areal, commented:“Over the past few years, I’ve been impressed by the talent of the Areal team and the remarkable level of innovation behind our technology. We have a real opportunity to make immersive audio more accessible and practical for the market, and I’m excited to continue building with the team as we take Areal into its next growth phase.”
Pieter Doms, co-founder of Areal, commented: “I’m really happy to have François on board as CEO. I first got to know him through his work with HOLOPLOT at Tomorrowland, so there was already a strong connection with the world we’re working in. Since he joined Areal as an advisor, he’s helped us bring two products to market, added a lot more structure to the way we work and brought valuable experience and connections across the industry. He gets involved wherever he can add value, and I think that combination of experience and practical input is exactly what we need for the next stage.”
As part of Areal’s new leadership structure, Michel Janssens, Areal’s first hire and a central figure in the company’s development from an early stage, will continue alongside Villaret in the newly formalised role of COO.
