From an American CEO to a Smaller U.S. Footprint: Casambi’s Changing Direction

Regional sales cuts follow a global leadership transition and a move toward greater reliance on independent agencies.  This follows recent leadership changes that have shifted the company’s direction.

Casambi leadership changes have reshaped the Finland-based company’s relationship with the American lighting market.  When the business named Mark McClear CEO on 29 NOV 2023, selecting an American lighting executive to lead its global operations was a significant step.

Mark brought extensive experience in the U.S. lighting industry and had already led Casambi’s North American operation.  His elevation placed that market’s experience and perspective at the top of the Finnish company.

Less than three years later, the picture looks considerably different.  Mark has departed, Casambi has adopted a dual-CEO structure, and EdisonReport has learned that the company laid off regional sales personnel on Friday, 11 SEP.

Taken together, the changes suggest a shift back toward the company’s European center of leadership and a smaller direct field presence in the United States.  While the extent of the remaining U.S. organization remains unclear,  Casambi continues to have North American leadership and headquarters support.

An American at the Helm

Casambi announced McClear’s appointment on 29 NOV 2023.  He succeeded Kari Mettälä, who stepped down after five years as CEO.

Mark joined Casambi in February 2022 as General Manager for North America.  Promoting him to global CEO was a notable step for a European controls company seeking to expand in a market with its own specification practices, agency relationships, and expectations for technical support.

For your humble editor, Mark’s appointment was an encouraging sign of North America’s importance to Casambi. An executive who understood the American lighting market would now guide the entire company.

Mark was an unusually hands-on CEO. Many industry leaders bring particular strength in sales, finance, or engineering. Mark understood all three and could connect the technology to the business opportunity. His enthusiasm for Casambi was infectious, driven by a conviction that every luminaire should contain a radio. Mark could explain its technology, champion its potential, and earn the confidence of the people expected to sell and specify it.

Board leadership subsequently changed.  In late 2024, Kay Pawlik succeeded Antti Kokkinen as chairman. Kokkinen had chaired Casambi for more than a decade.

Then, in December of 2025, Casambi announced McClear’s departure and introduced a dual-CEO model.  Kristian Jenkins assumed responsibility for sales and operations, while co-founder Timo Pakkala took responsibility for technology.  Their appointments were effective immediately.

Casambi Leadership Changes Reach North America

The Casambi leadership changes were followed by a broader regional reorganization in early 2026.

In an announcement published by EdisonReport on 18 MAR 2026, Casambi disclosed that it had implemented a new structure on 1 FEB across EMEA, APAC, and North America.  Each region would operate with defined leadership and accountability.

On 13 JUL, Casambi named Will Norris to lead North America, effective immediately.  Will came from VxV Solutions in Toronto, a longtime Casambi sales and service partner.  The company thanked Peter Augusta for his contribution to the North American business.

On 4 SEP, Casambi appointed Ron Marcissuk Jr. as Executive Vice President of Sales, North America.  His responsibilities included leading the sales organization and strengthening agency partnerships.

One week later came the reported regional sales cuts.

More Responsibility for Agencies

According to a source familiar with the changes, Casambi’s business plan calls for eliminating the regional sales force and placing more responsibility with independent representative agencies.  EdisonReport has not independently established the full number of affected employees.

The source described a model in which agencies would handle presales work, including design, layouts, bills of materials, and takeoffs, along with on-site startup and commissioning. 

Casambi would continue providing support from its North American headquarters.  However, the model would eliminate the regional field-sales support described by the source, including accompanied sales calls and technical selling.

That would represent a substantial change in how Casambi serves the U.S. market.  The company will depend more heavily on agencies to provide the local technical expertise and project assistance previously supported by its own personnel.

Last week, I interviewed a prominent lighting designer for the October issue of designing lighting (dl) magazine.  He praised Casambi’s performance on a major museum project for which he had specified its controls, emphasizing the importance of the company’s on-site support during commissioning.

Another personnel change became public on 11 SEP, when Solais announced Jordan Mills as Director of Commercial Inside Sales.  Mills had served as Director of Sales NAM. 

Over the weekend we spoke briefly with Ron Marcissuk, who sent us the following statement:

Casambi North America is currently undergoing a strategic realignment of its go-to-market organization. As part of that process, we are restructuring portions of the business to better align with our long-term growth strategy, customer needs, and core strengths in wireless lighting controls. While organizational changes can be challenging, these decisions are being made deliberately and with a focus on strengthening our ability to support customers, rep agencies, ecosystem partners, and OEMs throughout North America.

The Shift Back Toward Europe

The sequence of Casambi leadership changes is significant.  The company elevated an American executive to global CEO, subsequently adopted a dual-CEO structure, changed its North American leadership, and is now reportedly reducing its direct regional sales presence.

This is a shift in how the company participates in the American market.  Global direction remains with the Finland-based business, while more responsibility for local execution would move to independent agencies.

Less than three years after Mark McClear’s appointment signaled the prominence of American market experience in Casambi’s global leadership, the company appears to be pursuing a leaner U.S. organization.

The question now is how it will maintain the field support needed to turn its technology into successful projects.  We hope to sit down with Ron Marcissuk at ArchLIGHT Summit this week to learn more.