From the beating heart of Europe to the booming stages of Asia-Pacific, GLP’s visionary Founder & CEO, Udo Künzler, opens up on reimagining lighting technology, building a brand around trust and tenacity, and why GLP is just getting started.

There are lighting companies. And then there’s German Light Products (GLP) —a brand that doesn’t just manufacture fixtures, but commands creative revolutions across global stages.

At the helm is Udo Künzler, a visionary engineer-turned-industry-icon whose obsession with innovation is matched only by his deep respect for people — designers, technicians, partners, and the audiences they move. As CEO, Udo has turned GLP into a brand that feels intimate but delivers big on promises — all built on tight-knit relationships, daring ideas, and an unshakeable belief that reliability and radical thinking can, and must, co-exist.

Now, with a firm grip on legacy markets and an aggressive push into Asia-Pacific, GLP is retooling, rethinking, and ramping up. From stripped-down yet high-performance offerings tailored to regional demands, to custom project rollouts like the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), to over 400 JDC1 Bursts lighting up APAC in a matter of weeks — GLP’s momentum is undeniable. In this exclusive interview, Entertainment Technology Asia sits down with Udo to unpack the mindset, methods, and magic behind one of the most formidable lighting brands in the world today.

ETA: GLP has long stood as a pillar of lighting excellence globally. Under your leadership, how has the company recalibrated its mission to stay future-fit in today’s fast-evolving and visually demanding pro lighting landscape?

UDO: At GLP, staying ahead of the curve has always meant listening closely to the market and to the demands of end users. That’s how we shape our products – by listening to our customers, listening to lighting designers, and understanding what they really need. That helps us stay at the top, technology-wise. Beyond the technology, it’s about the relationships. Family and friendship play a big role at GLP. Close, ongoing relationships with end users are really key for us.

ETA:  Asia-Pacific is home to some of the world’s most culturally diverse and technically demanding markets. What unique strategies has GLP adopted to deepen its resonance across this region—technologically, commercially and creatively?

UDO: What we’re doing now is developing a new line of products that’s more tailored to the needs of markets like Asia. These are still very good, high-quality products, but with fewer features and at a more competitive price point, because that’s what’s important in those regions. We’ve also started to bring our own products into China, designed specifically for that market. A good example is the JDC1 Burst. We looked at how we could reduce costs and simplify the feature set, while still keeping the performance strong enough for the types of shows they’re doing there. In some countries, you don’t always need all the top-level features, so it’s about finding the right balance between performance and affordability.

ETA:  With a strong portfolio of game-changing technologies, how does GLP balance innovation with reliability—especially when serving users who commission large-scale, high-value projects across APAC?

UDO: Reliability is always the number one priority. But even if a product is reliable, things can still break, especially on the road. That’s why service is so important. We always try to help our customers however we can, no matter what the issue is. If something happens, we take the product back, fix it, update it, and send it back, no questions asked. We want to be there for our users. That kind of after-sales support is one of our big advantages.

Of course, when you bring out something new – something really at the edge of technology – there’s always a risk. Sometimes we have products go out into the market and we find out later there’s a small issue. But we fix it, update the hardware if needed, and the customer gets it back in better shape. That’s just part of moving fast and staying competitive.

And on the service side, we’ve made a lot of improvements. For example, we now have fixtures that can be updated remotely, even via iPhone, which is a big step forward. That makes it easier to support customers around the world, but you still need people in the region because of the time difference and local knowledge. A lot can be done remotely now, but you still need good teams on the ground, like our local representatives in Hong Kong and Singapore.

ETA:  In a competitive market, how does GLP stay meaningfully connected to its end-user base—from seasoned service providers to emerging boutique players—across different countries and cultures?

UDO: It’s still a people business. We stay connected by seeing people regularly – at trade shows, by inviting them meetings, or visiting them at their offices. We invite designers and partners to our offices in Germany, the UK and California, or sometimes we’ll just go out for dinner and talk. That’s often how good ideas come up – just through talking. It’s not always something you can plan.

And it’s important to have our own people in the regions we serve. For example, we’ve got our own offices in the UK and the US, and we have people in Hong Kong and Singapore too. Having our own team there makes a big difference, because if you rely solely on distributors, you don’t always get the kind of feedback or information you need. When it’s your own people, they’re much closer to the market and to the customers.

ETA:  As CEO, what is your core decision-making compass when navigating unpredictable market variables, whether geopolitical, economic, or technological? How do you steer GLP through challenge-infused growth?

UDO: Although I’m the CEO, GLP has a very flat management structure. I trust the people around me, and we make most decisions together as a team. I try to keep that family feeling throughout the whole company – it’s not always easy, but it’s important to me. The people I work with bring their own knowledge, and I bring mine, and then we decide things together. Sometimes, sure, I have to make the final decision, but it’s always based on input from the team.

Personally, I’m very technical – I enjoy working on new products, speaking with lighting designers, and coming up with ideas. That’s where I like to be. I’m not so involved in administration or logistics; other people can handle that. My focus is on technology, engineering and creating something new.

ETA:  Could you walk us through a recent project or business development in Asia-Pacific that not only tested GLP’s capabilities but also helped shape its global outlook in a tangible way?

UDO: On this question, I defer to my colleagues in the region, [general manager, GLP Asia] Michael Münz and [sales director, Asia-Pacific] Søren Storm. One of the GLP Asia team’s most recent projects was the supply of various X5 family fixtures to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), which was a major installation for us and serves a statement of intent for GLP in the region. This project comprised 20 × X5 Compact, 16 × X5 and 26 × X5 Bar 1000 fixtures, with the regular X5 delivered in a custom white housing for the first time. Most of the fixtures will be shared across the HKAPA’s various theatres and stages; the white-housed fixtures were specially requested by the client to blend in perfectly with their amphitheatre.

Saleswise, the JDC Burst 1 has had an amazing launch in APAC, with over 400 fixtures sold in four countries within two months of it shipping.

ETA:  Beyond products and distribution, how does GLP invest in people—its teams, partners, and end-users—to ensure the brand remains personal, trusted, and forward-leaning in every market it touches?

UDO: We’ve always valued long-term partnerships. For example, our distributor in Portugal [Garrett Audiovisuais] has been with us for more than 25 years, and in the Asia-Pacific region we have worked with Shinichi Kikukawa [founder of GLP’s Japanese distributor, Fourleaf Inc.] for a similar length of time. That kind of relationship is based on trust and friendship, not just business. We choose partners we have a good feeling about – people we know we can work with.

It’s the same with our internal team. We try to keep that family-and-friends feeling in the company. We don’t want big egos or people who don’t fit the team. It’s a small company in that sense, and the atmosphere is important. When we hire, it’s often about timing – like with [head of lighting technology engagement] Brad Schiller in the US. He was available, we thought he was a great fit, and we brought him in. Sometimes it’s not about actively searching but recognising the right opportunity when it comes.

People tend to stay a long time at GLP. I think it’s because of how we work together – decisions are made as a group, not just from the top down. Even if we don’t all agree, we talk it through, and people understand why a decision is made. That helps everyone feel involved.

ETA:  Finally, what’s your vision for GLP in the next three years—and what role do you see Asia-Pacific playing in that trajectory?

UDO: In the next three years, we want to grow a lot – especially in the Asian market. That’s a big focus for us. Our new product ranges fit really well there, and we’re also looking to find more distributors in the region. At the moment, we have good partners in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, but there’s still a lot of opportunity. Asia is definitely our next big target area.

The market itself is growing fast. Last year, for example, I visited a huge television show in China. It was just like Eurovision Song Contest, but even bigger. It really surprised me how far things have already developed there. There’s so much potential.

So, yes, if anyone in the Asia-Pacific region is reading this and is interested in working with us, we’d love to hear from them!