Video content security solutions provider Friend MTS has named human resources veteran Jill Ezard as its new chief people officer (CPO).

In the newly created position, Ezard will be tasked with helping Friend MTS meet its growth targets. The announcement comes shortly after the appointment of Simon Thornberry as COO in February.

Ezard brings more than 30 years of HR experience to the role, most recently as a leader in executive coaching, strategy development and organization design. Her previous roles include chief HR officer at Foundry and at Volex plc, and as global director of HR at Pace.

At Foundry, a privately funded software firm, Ezard drove company strategy with responsibility for reorganization and cultural change, resulting in a refocus of the business that led to a successful sale.

“Having worked with Friend MTS in a consulting role for more than a year, I can see clearly how organizational alignment and refocus will help our talented and passionate team drive business growth across customers and markets as the company cements its position as the world leader in video anti-piracy,” Ezard said. “With a renewed focus on values, culture, learning and growth, I believe our team, customers and partners will see a positive impact on business decisions and relationships.”

Friend MTS CEO Shane McCarthy added: “Jill is an extraordinarily talented individual with a deep understanding of effective change management alongside a sharp business mind. Her ability to drive cultural change will be invaluable as we continue our transition to an agile, open, modern technology company and accelerate our growth while nurturing and deepening the trust between us and our customers.”