It is with great sadness that we report that Ilpo Martikainen, the co-founder of Genelec and a pioneer in active audio monitoring, passed away yesterday January 30th 2017.
Martikainen and Topi Partanen established Genelec in 1978 an during recent years, the Finnish audio guru focused on involving the next generation. His children Juho Martikainen, Mikko Martikainen and Maria Martikainen have grown up as part of the Genelec family. They have been closely involved in developing the company into a leading global brand in active audio monitoring as members of the Genelec Board since 2001. The children will continue in ownership of Genelec together with the other board members Topi Partanen (co-founder) and Ritva Leinonen who have made their lifework with Genelec. Ritva Leinonen continues as the Chairperson of Genelec Board.
In a statement from Genelec, Managing Director Siamäk Naghian said: "We warmly thank Ilpo’s family for supporting him in being an essential part of our lives and journey too. We hope the whole audio and music industry will join us in extending thoughts and prayers to his family."
"Even if we greatly miss Ilpo we are privileged and grateful to share in the wonderful memories, passion, humanistic values, love and evolution of the Genelec story that we have experienced with Ilpo. This keeps his memory living in our hearts and deeds. He will continue to live on, through us.”
Martikainen was aged of 69 and had been struggling with a long-term illness.
