ISJ Exclusive: MOBOTIX in the Middle East
James Thorpe
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Phillip Antoniou, VP Sales, Europe South/West & MEAPAC, MOBOTIX speaks exclusively to International Security Journal about the company’s work in the Middle East.
With some reports projecting an annual growth rate of as high as 10% for the Middle East security market over the next three years, it is no surprise to see the region placed towards the top of the priority list for a number of security manufacturers.
One company enjoying success across the region is MOBOTIX, the German-based video technology provider. The company’s MOBOTIX 7 platform and M73 IoT cameras attracted significant interest at Intersec 2020 with the products demonstrating a range of new innovations and features.
Phillip Antoniou, VP Sales, Europe South/West & MEAPAC at MOBOTIX was thrilled with how the show went: “The feedback so far has been extremely positive. Not only on the new features such as the 4K quality and the in-built analytics but also from a design perspective, the cameras are a lot more aesthetically pleasing than other products on the market.
“Intersec is one of the most important shows for us as it brings real-time projects and opportunities directly to us at the event itself, so to receive that kind of feedback was really pleasing.”
Talking strategy
The company’s appearance at Intersec is part of its wider Middle East strategy to speak directly with its channel partners in order to develop the solutions that end users require. Antoniou explained: “It is a really important region for us. We have been working in the Middle East for a very long time and have worked with some of the biggest organisations in the region as well as lots of different government agencies.
“There can sometimes be a misconception that because of the nature of the region, Middle East organisations will want any new technology that they see but this isn’t true. If it’s new, they will test it, check it and then look to utilise it if it is usable. For us, it is the perfect place, we are a solution looking for a problem.”
On the specifics of the company’s working practices in the region, Antoniou added: “We are putting a lot of focus on developing strategies together with consultants and end users. It’s really interesting because we might approach them with a need that hasn’t been realised yet but throughout the process, they might identify another need that they can use our technology for which we hadn’t even thought of. It’s very much about opening up a two-way dialogue.”
Don’t take it easy
One of the main reasons MOBOTIX is experiencing so much success in the Middle East and across the rest of the world is its focus on ensuring its products are cyber-secure. As evidence of the company’s capabilities in the area, it recently achieved Secure by Default certification.
According to Surveillance Camera Commissioner, Tony Porter, “The certification mark demonstrates to customers and stakeholders alike that the products listed on my website meet the new minimum requirements I expect in terms of cyber-secure surveillance camera products.”
Antoniou believes the certification is deserved recognition for the team at MOBOTIX: “We believe we can be at the forefront of cybersecurity. Secure by Default is not only certification of your products but also of the processes you use within your company, it further bolsters our claim that we will do whatever we can to make our products as secure as possible.”
However, when asked about the wider industry, Antoniou concluded by urging vendors to do more: “I believe the responsibility lies with the manufacturers and I don’t think enough is being done at the moment. In some regions, I don’t think cybersecurity is taken as seriously as it could be or as it should be.
“I know many companies take a lot of preventative steps which is fantastic, but you can always do more and you should never be complacent. We as MOBOTIX will always do more as we’re never satisfied.”
See what MOBOTIX was showcasing at Intersec 2020 here:
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxzBTstdP0Y&feature=youtu.be”]
