Channel big hitters Ralph Gilbert and Chris Goodman have signed a private investment deal with Oak Innovation which gives them a minority stake in the business as it transforms into a fully digital supplier focused on certifying and embedding its call recording solutions into the Microsoft Teams ecosystem.
“Moving fully into Teams call recording has involved a lot of technical development and Ralph and Chris’s investment will enable us to take that process to a new level,” said Oak chairman James Emm.
Goodman stressed his and Gilbert’s investment is a personal one, but based on the long relationship the Focus Group co-founders have had with Oak.
“Ralph and I are thrilled to be new investors in Oak Innovation. At Focus Group, we’ve worked with James and the team at Oak for over 15 years and continue to have a strong relationship between the two businesses, so when the opportunity to get involved personally presented itself we were delighted to offer our support,” he said.
“Oak’s ClarifyGo solution is one of very few call recording solutions that are certified to be used with Microsoft Teams. This, combined with the growing adoption of Teams, presents a unique and exciting opportunity for the company and the channel. We look forward to supporting the team at Oak with their future plans and developments.”
Oak director William Emm added: “We are extremely buoyant about the future. We are continuously investing into where the call recording market is headed and have been rewarded with an increasingly expanding base within the channel, both in the UK and worldwide. We are ecstatic to have Chris and Ralph join the Oak family, not only for their financial participation, but also the wealth of experience they bring. We believe 2025 is going to be an exciting year for our team.”
Pictured: Bournemouth FC fan James Emm and Brighton and Hove Albion supporter Chris Goodman bring a football theme to the investment deal.