Vincent Grivet Re-Elected HbbTV Chair

Vincent Grivet (Eutelsat) has been re-confirmed as Chair of the HbbTV Association after the industry body's newly elected Steering Group voted to extend his mandate for a further two years at its 26 June meeting.

Jon Piesing (TP Vision) remains Vice-Chair, with Xavi Redon (Cellnex Telecom) continuing as Treasurer.

The incoming Steering Group for 2026–2028 was chosen by HbbTV members at the General Assembly on 12 June 2026. The line-up, listed alphabetically, is:
- BBC (Chris Poole)
- Cellnex Telecom (Xavi Redon)
- Digital TV Group (Ranjeet Kaur)
- Eutelsat (Vincent Grivet)
- Everyone TV (Alex Russell)
- LG Electronics (Hemanta Lamichhane)
- RAI Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. (Luca Barboni)
- R.T.I. S.p.A. / MediaForEurope Group (Fabio Guarnaccia)
- RTL Group (Frank Heineberg)
- Samsung Research (Christoph Fingerhut)
- Skyworth (Motoshi Bito)
- Sony Europe Ltd. (Nigel Moore)
- Tivù (Daniele Novaga)
- TP Vision (Jon Piesing)
- Vestel (Ersoy Özdemir)

The composition blends stability with change: twelve long-serving representatives return, preserving accumulated expertise, while several adjustments refresh the group. Vestel joins the Steering Group for the first time, adding another major TV manufacturer to HbbTV's top governance tier. The Digital TV Group (DTG) also re-joins, tightening links with the UK market. In addition, Skyworth takes a seat as it expands in Europe following its April 2026 agreement to assume sales, marketing and logistics for Panasonic-branded TVs in the region.

HbbTV expressed gratitude to departing Steering Group members, thanking Panasonic and its long-standing representative Martin Fähnrich, and Xperi alongside Frode Hernes, for their sustained contributions to the standard’s development and reputation.

This year’s election drew strong interest across the membership. Candidates set out forward-looking priorities including the shift to IP-led distribution, advancements in addressable advertising, continued work on interoperability, and expansion of HbbTV’s footprint beyond Europe. The Association also welcomed two new full members, Xiaomi and eJoyful, bringing total membership to 60.

Work priorities for the 2026–2028 term include keeping the core specification aligned with market needs and reinforcing device compliance through interoperability efforts. Planned workstreams feature the finalisation and publication of HbbTV 2.0.6, the All‑IP/3.0 study mission, closer alignment with DVB‑I, the launch of new vertical Application Interest Groups to consolidate use cases with stakeholders, and ongoing investment in Test Suite maintenance and automation.

The General Assembly approved adjustments to membership categories effective 1 July 2026. The standard fee will rise for the first time since HbbTV’s creation, reflecting the broader scope of deliverables and cumulative inflation over 15 years. Two new tiers were introduced: a Small Member option for smaller, innovative companies within the HbbTV ecosystem, and an Associate Member tier for organisations engaging with Application Interest Groups without full voting rights. The expanded structure is intended to widen participation and attract new entrants.

"I am honoured to serve another term as Chair and grateful to the HbbTV membership for their continued trust," said Vincent Grivet, Chair of the HbbTV Association. "The 2026 election has brought real change alongside strong continuity – welcoming Vestel onto the Steering Group for the first time, seeing DTG return, and adding Xiaomi and eJoyful as new members of the Association reflects the growing breadth of our community. With our new Small Member and Associate Member categories now in place, I expect that community to grow further. With HbbTV 2.0.6 close to finalisation, the All-IP roadmap taking shape and the first Application Interest Groups launching, the next two years present some of the most significant opportunities in the Association’s history."

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