As a Cable Hall of Fame Inductee, Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries sat down for an in-depth interview with Stewart Schley for the Cable Centre’s “Hauser Oral History Series”. The series explores detailed and interesting stories from the industry’s most notable and influential executives, with Mike Fries sharing his thoughts and anecdotes on the birth and evolution of Liberty Global.

Fries looks back on his 30 years in the cable industry and reflects on the events and decisions which has made it the company it is today. From working on a cardboard desk in the company’s start-up days, to growing it into the world’s largest cable operator, Mike shares the company’s colourful history as well as his personal highlights.

Thought-out the interview he focuses on the core values that has made Liberty Global both unique and successful, primarily the importance of being agile and the ability to rebalance the business when the time is right. This agility, he says, is a key ‘Malone trait’ and has allowed them to evolve as the market changes.

As well as touching on the key moments in Liberty’s history, Mike expresses his excitement for the future, crediting his team with helping maintain this excitement. He acknowledges the company is up against considerable change, discussing the headwinds the wider industry faces including the growth of FAANGS – Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google and the beginnings of regulation in Europe.

His long term outlook predicts more success for Liberty Global, due to the continuous growth of broadband consumption, our position as a content aggregator and revenue to be realized in the B2B space, among other opportunities that arise from new innovations.

Check out the short videos tracing the Liberty Global journey so far and what Mike anticipates for the future of the company and wider industry as a whole.

Interview Videos
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