Meet Nick Williams, the CEO of Native Instruments

Nick Williams is a life-long musician, and a passionate fan of Native Instruments for 25 years. Today, as our CEO, he is looking to the future with a simple belief: creators deserve the best. In this conversation, Nick shares how his personal journey shapes his leadership, what he has already learned from listening to the community, and his plans for the next chapter of NI.

You’ve been a fan of Native Instruments for 25 years. Can you share your first memory of using our products and how that shaped your creative journey?

I’ve been a keyboard player since I was 7, and played in bands for many years. At university, I lived across the street from Thom Yorke and have followed his creative journey. When Radiohead’s Kid A came out, I was fascinated by the sounds on that record – and discovered that Reaktor was a key part of the sonic palette. That was my introduction to Native Instruments back in 2000.

Fast forward to today, and I’ve returned to producing music with the incredible tools we create – and the breadth and depth of what’s possible now is astonishing. Tools like Kontakt, Ozone, and Leap offer a level of creative freedom that simply didn’t exist when I first got started. It’s truly inspiring. I’ve always been a musician rather than a music professional – I never set out to make a living from music, but it’s been central to my life and how I experience the world. That connection drives so many of us here at NI. We build the tools we wish for ourselves as creators – and it’s a privilege to be part of enabling others to tell their own stories through sound.

What convinced you to join Native Instruments and to become CEO?

It was an instant connection, I didn’t need any convincing. As soon as I heard about the opportunity to join Native Instruments, I knew it was where I wanted to be. The mission – to inspire and enable creators to express themselves through sound – resonates deeply with me, both personally and professionally.

Before stepping into the CEO role, I joined as CFO during a transformative period. That gave me a chance to see the depth of talent, passion, and potential across the business. I saw a team committed to quality, to innovation, and to serving creators – from bedroom producers to GRAMMY-winning engineers. Becoming CEO was a natural step forward in helping NI continue to evolve while staying true to what makes us special.

The NI community is passionate and vocal. How do you plan to stay connected to creators and what they care about most?

One of the things I admire most about our community is how deeply you care. That passion is a gift – and a responsibility. As CEO, I make it a priority to stay close to our creators. I make time regularly to speak directly with users and listen to what’s working, what’s not, and what you want to see from us in the future.

We’ve been doing more to share early roadmaps, respond to feedback, and open up how we work  – whether that’s through product updates, beta testing, or community-led initiatives. We take great pride in the engagement in our community forums, and we’ve seen a very positive response to the regular updates from our Chief Product Officer, Simon Cross, and sharing new and exciting developments from our Product Managers. 

I see creators as our collaborators, not just customers. Everything we do – every update, every instrument, every partnership – starts with that mindset.

Your vision for NI emphasizes innovation, accessibility, and collaboration. What does that mean in practice for our users?

For us, innovation means giving creators new tools that are both powerful and intuitive – helping you unlock ideas you didn’t even know you had. Accessibility means breaking down barriers: price, platform, skill level, or hardware preferences. And collaboration is about building bridges  – not just between people, but between platforms, tools, and technologies.

A recent example is our expansion of the NKS (Native Kontrol Standard) ecosystem. With partners like Akai Pro, Novation, Nektar, Korg and M-Audio now integrating NKS into their controllers, we’re opening up our professional grade sounds and instruments to more creators than ever before. Whether you’re using our own hardware or third-party gear, we want the experience to feel seamless – because the tech should never get in the way of the music. We are also excited to be announcing a new hardware partner to NKS very soon.

Diversity and inclusion are priorities for you. How do you plan to expand opportunities for underrepresented creators in our community?

Music is one of the most powerful, universal forms of expression – and it should reflect the full spectrum of human experience. That means working intentionally to make sure people of all backgrounds, identities, and skill levels feel welcome and supported in our community.

We’re looking at this holistically: from how we build our teams and partner with artists, to how we design tools and distribute content. We’ve already made strides – and there’s much more to do. One example is our focus on gender diversity in music production. It’s not just about representation; it’s about rethinking how we design for inclusivity, how we tell stories, and how we help people see themselves in this space.

What’s a piece of feedback you’ve heard from the community that’s stuck with you?

One theme that’s come through consistently is:  “We love what you make – just make it easier to access, use, and integrate.” That really resonates with me. We’re incredibly proud of the quality and creativity of our products, but we also know that installation issues, compatibility hurdles, or friction in your workflow can get in the way.

We’ve made progress – with improvements to Native Access, better onboarding in Kontakt, and expanded cross-platform compatibility – and we’re just getting started. Every update we ship is about helping you get to the music faster.

Of all our products, past or present, which one do you personally have the most love for and why?

Reaktor will always have a special place with me – it’s where the journey began for NI in many ways, as well as for me. It represents our roots in deep synthesis and experimental sound design.

That said, the most fun I’ve had recently is using the Master Assistant in Ozone. I use it on all of the music I produce, and it still amazes me – the way it lifts and unveils a track in an instant is magical. 

I’m a piano player at heart. When I joined the team and came to the Berlin office, the first thing I did was sit down with the S88 MK3 and play Alicia’s Keys. I’ll never forget it, that was one of those moments where everything just feels right.

Innovation is central to the future of music tech. Without revealing too much, what excites you most about what’s coming?

There’s so much in the pipeline that gets me excited. Without getting into specifics, I can say that synths are a big focus for us in 2025 and beyond. We’re working on reimagining what’s possible in that space, while staying true to the expressive, tactile experiences that make synthesis so powerful.

AI is another area we’re exploring – not as a gimmick, but as a way to genuinely empower creators. Whether it’s smart mastering, assisted sound design, or idea generation, we’re committed to keeping the human – the artist – at the center of the process.

With NI, iZotope, and Plugin Alliance now under one roof, how do you see the community benefiting from a more connected future?

Each of these brands brings something special to the table – whether it’s Plugin Alliance’s studio-grade effects, iZotope’s intelligent audio tech, or NI’s instruments and sounds. The real opportunity is in building workflows where these tools just work together, intuitively and creatively.

You’re already seeing that come to life with shared content libraries, cross-brand bundles, and tighter plugin integration – and we’re just at the beginning of that journey. Our goal is to create a creative ecosystem where switching tools doesn’t break your flow – it enhances it.

The music technology industry is evolving quickly. Where do you see the biggest opportunities and risks ahead?

The biggest opportunity is in making music creation more inclusive, fluid, and inspiring – for everyone, regardless of background or technical ability. We have the chance to redefine what creative tools look like – more connected, more intelligent, more empowering.

The risk? Losing sight of the human. With some emerging trends that remove the artist from the centre of the process, we’re committed to making sure our innovation serves real creative needs – and keeps the soul of music-making alive.

NI has a strong legacy but faces real expectations from creators. How do you plan to honor that legacy while re-energizing the future for the NI family of brands?

We stand on the shoulders of the innovative giants that came before us. From Reaktor to Kontakt, from Traktor to Guitar Rig, we’ve shaped entire genres and creative workflows. We’ve never been a company that stands still.

We’re honoring that legacy by doubling down on quality, usability, and community connection  – and by building the next wave of tools that feel as exciting today as Kontakt did 20 years ago. 

At the same time, we’re focused on adding meaningful value to the tools creators already know and love - evolving them with purpose. That means updates that enhance familiar workflows, expanding creative options, and making it easier to go further with what you already have.

Whether it’s expanding NKS integration, growing our Leap platform, or modernising flagship products like Maschine and Traktor, our goal is clear: keep pushing boundaries, and building on the spirit that made NI what it is.