What safety challenges are companies facing, and how are you addressing them?
Security challenges are on the rise worldwide, and solutions play a crucial role in addressing them. At Motorola Solutions, we’re focused on tailoring the right solutions for specific verticals, from communication systems to video security and physical security measures.

Can you tell us about your various cameras, like Silent Sentinel and Halo, and smart sensors? How are these helping with security?
Silent Sentinel, recently acquired by Motorola Solutions, is a highly specialized camera system designed for applications like oil and gas and maritime monitoring. It can cover up to 30 kilometres and integrates with third-party systems, making it highly competitive.

Our Halo sensors are a recent addition to our video security lineup. We refer to them as “cameras without an eye” because they capture emergency cases in areas where cameras can’t be installed. These sensors detect smoke, the presence of people, and other critical events, seamlessly integrating with Avigilon Unity platforms.

How are these streamlining compliance issues?
Motorola Solutions adheres to international standards to protect data and identities. Our applications related to security involve case-sensitive data and high compliance standards. The entire process, from installation to implementation, is protected and falls under these compliances.

You have various applications impacting different industries, such as healthcare, utilities, and hospitality. How do you tailor your solutions for these sectors?
Motorola Solutions tailors its offerings to meet the specific needs of various verticals. Video security is implemented across all sectors, while access control may be more suitable for certain industries. Our end-to-end solutions from Avigilon enhance security standards, operations, and responses across different verticals.

How do you address rising security challenges in regions like the Middle East?
The Middle East experiences a high demand for security investments due to rising challenges. Motorola Solutions works closely with governments and complies with local standards to tailor our solutions. By constantly monitoring and receiving feedback from end users, we can effectively address challenges and introduce the right solutions in the market.

AI is a buzzword in today’s security landscape. What role is AI playing in your solutions?
AI plays a vital role in Motorola Solutions’ platforms. While we hear a lot about AI making decisions, in our case, AI helps collect and analyse data, but the final decision rests with the human managing it. This ensures accuracy and effectiveness in responding to security events.

At Intersec Dubai, Eaton will present its industry-recognized Building Safety Management System (BSMS). This integrated platform enables real-time monitoring and centralized control of emergency lighting and fire detection systems, ensuring compliance with international safety standards, including BS 5266 and EN 1838. BSMS empowers building operators to manage safety effectively while optimizing response times during emergencies.

Eaton will also spotlight its DualGuard System, a proven emergency lighting and fire alarm solution engineered for the Middle East’s challenging environmental conditions. Additionally, attendees will experience Eaton’s adaptive evacuation systems, which dynamically adjust escape routes based on real-time hazard data, enhancing emergency response.

The Middle East is experiencing unprecedented infrastructure development, with the construction market projected to grow from $298 billion in 2023 to $401.17 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 2.9%. Simultaneously, the fire safety equipment market in the Middle East and Africa is expected to expand at a CAGR of 8%, reaching $6,930.3 million by 2030, driven by stricter safety regulations and increased urbanization. Eaton’s solutions are tailored to meet the demands of this growing market, ensuring reliability and compliance in critical applications.

“Eaton has been a trusted partner in the Middle East for many years, providing life safety solutions that are built to perform under the toughest conditions,” said Qasem Noureddin, Managing Director, Eaton Middle East. “Our participation at Intersec Dubai reflects our ongoing commitment to helping our customers ensure the safety of their people and assets.”

Eaton’s technologies, including its Building Safety Management System and DualGuard System, provide building operators with tools to navigate evolving safety challenges while ensuring long-term operational efficiency. “We are proud to support the region’s infrastructure growth by offering solutions that deliver long-term value and protection,” added Qasem Noureddin. “Intersec Dubai is a key platform for us to engage with industry professionals and demonstrate how our products contribute to safer, more resilient buildings.”

“Security challenges are complex, so the solutions for solving them must be simple and intuitive,” said Pedro Simoes, corporate vice president of Video Security and Access Control at Motorola Solutions. “Our technologies are built with simplicity in mind and can evolve to meet the rapid pace of change. They are powered by responsibly built AI that can alert security staff when action is needed, focusing human attention on what matters most.”

Motorola Solutions continues to strengthen its end-to-end physical security offering, both through organic R&D and acquisitions, including the recent acquisition of IPVideo, creator of the HALO Smart Sensor. HALO integrates seamlessly with Motorola Solutions’ Avigilon security suite and sends an alert directly to Avigilon video management systems when an anomaly, such as poor air quality or unusual noise, is detected.

Motorola Solutions is displaying the Avigilon security suite of cloud and on-premise solutions, built to adapt to rapid changes in the threat landscape, as well as its new Pelco open-platform security cameras, which are customizable for a wide range of security needs.

• Avigilon Unity Video 8: This latest AI-enabled on-premise video management system (VMS) offers flexible cloud-based management capabilities for security operators. The solution also supports Avigilon’s H6A and H6X cameras with AdaptAI, an advanced edge analytics suite with the ability to detect unusual crowd behaviour, flag auditory disturbances and distinguish between vehicle subclasses.
• Pelco Elevate: This new cloud-based camera management and AI analytics service provides security and maintenance teams with valuable insights to reduce downtime and increase operator efficiency while pairing seamlessly with any ONVIF conformant video management system.
• Pelco Spectra Enhanced 8 Series: This latest evolution in the Spectra Pan, Tilt and Zoom (PTZ) camera portfolio is built to secure large areas and features Pelco Smart Analytics, an optional built-in microphone and auto-tracking to help automatically identify threats and analyze events.

These technologies are exhibited at Intersec at booths SA-C11 (Motorola Solutions) and S1-I20 (IPVideo), the Dubai World Trade Center.

Please tell us about your participation at Intersec 2023.
Intersec has always been very special for us. This is because we launched Invixium in 2013 at Intersec and 2023 marks our 10th participation at the event. We started with an 18-square-meter booth, and this year we exhibited in a booth with 77 square meters of space. The region has been very good to us and today we have a good presence in the Middle East.

So at Intersec this year, you launched a new product called Vertu. Can you tell us about it and how is it unique?
So we are by DNA, a biometric company. Biometric means facial recognition, fingerprint, and so on. But we are humble to accept the fact that not all doors for access control are going to require biometric solutions because it’s relatively expensive. But because of the supply chain challenges that the market faced over the past 18 to 24 months, that has affected the card reader supply.

Our customers were not getting it and so they came to us. They said we understand you’re a biometric company, but we want your products for 25% of the doors, but for the remaining 75%, we don’t have a solution. So they requested us to launch a well-designed access control reader that can read Mifare, DESFire, EV1, EV2, NFC, BLE, and so on. And we didn’t want to say “No” to customers and the market. So even though we are a biometric company, we have launched such a product to service our customers.

Lots have changed in the hybrid working environment. How have security policies changed? What sort of challenges exist in the market today?
We sell to markets that have a great demand for access control and workforce management solutions. So, these solutions are not required in the white-collar industry. It’s required more in the blue-collar industry where there are large workforces such as oil refineries, construction sites, manufacturing plants, and so on, who work on-field.

So, in that regard, nothing has changed for us. In terms of the office environment, I think a hybrid work environment is here to stay and the security industry has adapted itself to the changes. So security products have become more intelligent. They now have more communication through Wi-Fi and cellular. And I think the industry has adapted quite well.

Solutions such as touchless and face recognition have received 20 years’ worth of adoption in a span of just one year. Health screening and temperature screening were never a requirement. Today, we do not see such screenings in most places. The biggest challenge is inflation. Costs have gone up drastically and customers don’t like to pay more. So we are delivering more value for the same price.

What sort of trends do you foresee in the industry that you’re operating in, especially for the Middle East market?
Touchless is key for security solutions and it is going to continue to be in demand. Multi-biometrics is another trend – so two biometrics in the same product with more integration.

So people don’t like a lot of clutter at their front door. They want an integrated solution and they want a solution from one supplier so that they don’t have to deal with multiple companies to solve one problem. I think those are the practical trends for this year.

Tell us about your participation in Intersec.
HID has been participating in Intersec for many years now, and the event provides us with a unique opportunity to exchange knowledge and connect with security professionals across the region. This year, we are focusing on helping customers to understand the benefits of merging security and convenience through HID Mobile Access. Today, identity authentication and access can be granted via smartphones and smartwatches safely and conveniently. And as this technology evolves, it can play a far greater part to enhance the operational engineering, maintenance, and functioning of buildings.

Which products and solutions did you showcase at the event?
This year, our key focus is HID Mobile Access and readers, our premium solution that addresses protection, disruption, and sustainability. We also showcased other access control innovations like the cloud-based physical access control system HID Origo—a cloud-based mobile credential lifecycle management platform that’s integrated with an access control system and leverages HID’s Seos credential technology—and visitor management systems.

With many companies now adopting a hybrid work environment, what has changed in terms of security requirements and policies?
Today’s hybrid workplace is more complex, and the security of workspaces, people, and data is even more demanding. Security isn’t just a technical problem—and businesses face challenges in limiting and securing access to sensitive information and systems, adopting technologies to maintain employee productivity and ensure security, and enforcing security policies among other things.

But managing this risk is more about a change in the security mindset rather than trying to change systems, policies, and organizational behavior. There is often a misconception that security systems must be upgraded to meet the changes in policies and that upgrading to modern systems is complex and expensive. It is important to highlight that modern physical access control solutions today make the migration from older systems to digital IDs easy.

There are millions of HID readers installed already that are capable of using HID Mobile Access—either instantly or via a simple on-site upgrade. We can work with end users and partners to provide a free trial of HID Mobile Access to help them better understand the value it brings across an organization.

What sort of major trends have you seen in the Physical Access Control business area?
Key mobile access trends include the continued and growing need for future-proof solutions that provide contactless experiences and optimize flexibility through a greater choice of credential technologies. One example of what’s ahead in terms of technological trends can be seen in the growing popularity of digital wallets from major players such as Google, Apple, and Amazon. Expanded capabilities allow smartphone users, for example, to add keys, IDs, and digital documents directly in the wallet app. These include, but are not limited to, driver’s licenses, verifiable COVID-19 vaccination information, employee badges, student IDs, and hotel room keys.

Tell us about your presence and channel community in the region.
The Middle East and North Africa regions are culturally and economically diverse. Businesses in countries within the same region can have different budgetary constraints and technology demands. The good news for security professionals is that security is essential to every successful business.

HID counts on a close relationship with regional channel partners. We continue to focus on having a strong presence in the region, and thanks to our Advantage Partner Program, we’ve successfully accomplished that. Through our elite Advantage Partner Program, our channel marketing teams are closely aligned with our channel partners to support them with marketing and sales enablement materials, training, and resources.

Can you tell us about your participation at Intersec 2023?
Intersec is a very important event for us. We have been part of this exhibition since the second edition of the event. We always look forward to events that have anything to do with storage. We always look at opportunities where we can expand. So surveillance today has become a very big part of our business. This is due to smart cities, data analytics, and other solutions that are built around storage.

We have been sort of flag bearers in the surveillance category. This is because if you go to the market, and ask for a surveillance hard drive, sellers will recommend a WD purple drive. So storage for surveillance systems has become synonymous with our purple drives.

At the event this year, we launched our 22 TB hard disk drive. This capacity is being offered in all color models of our products such as gold, red, and purple, in addition to launching it in the Ultra Star series.

Our aim is to offer more storage capacity at a lower cost of ownership. We are also showcasing our micro SD card which is used in wireless security cameras, in addition to displaying our JBOD (just a bunch of disks) solutions, which is a high-end data storage device.

Is using desktop drives for surveillance solutions still in practice?
People used to use such drives to save costs. So a few years ago, we went to assess the needs of customers. So, a desktop drive is built to be used only for about eight hours a day for computing. The purple drive for surveillance, on the other hand, is tested in a 24×7 environment.

So, we went and educated customers on the right drive for the right solution. Education is a continuous process, and so we try to reemphasise that.

Does storage play a bigger role today in terms of data, compared with a couple of years ago?
Of course. Data creation is increasing at a fast pace and you need some place to securely store it. Even in cloud computing, data is stored somewhere at some data center, which uses the hardware we offer. According to the data we have, over 40% of the world’s data is stored on devices from our company.

What sort of demand do you see for storage devices and solutions from regional data centers?
We see a huge demand. If regional governments run initiatives and policies around how regional users’ data is stored and handled, then companies and data centers will have to adhere to them. There are lots of opportunities we see right now.

Do you have any initiatives for your channel community moving forward?
We have a company that has always been aligned with the channel. A lot of our success is attributed to the relationship we have with the channel. We have a myWD program which has been very popular with our channel community. Every year we revisit and refresh it, so there is always something new each time, in order to enhance the overall program. When it comes to the program’s offerings, it’s not only a rebate program. It is also a program that imparts training to the IT guys. We also offer tailored training programs for the channel’s sales guys and for the owners of the company.

“This year’s show will feature some of the biggest industry names, alongside new entrants to the sector,” said Alex Nicholl, Show Director of event organiser Messe Frankfurt Middle East. “We have 42 newcomers from the Emirates this year, which means the UAE now accounts for 20 per cent of our exhibitor profile. Saudi Arabian participants are up 20 per cent too, while we have also seen particularly strong growth from India, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, Iraq, Qatar, Nigeria, and Egypt.”

Nicholl added that the growth is largely down to positive industry forecasts, high demand for solutions to combat increasing cybercrime, and strong international support from government and professional organisations, such as the UAE Cybersecurity Council, Saudi Arabia’s National Security Services – SAFE, and Huawei. Dr. Aloysius Cheang, Chief Security Officer, Huawei Middle East & Central Asia, said, “If you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, either you are looking the wrong way or you are the light. Start looking at the right way by being part of the community, joining events such as Intersec and start sharing because Cybersecurity is a team sport! And through sharing, you will become a beacon for others. This is why I am here and why Huawei is part of Intersec – to light up your future!”

Major new entrants include Thales of France, Singapore’s ST Engineering, Saudi Arabia’s SAFE, Germany’s AGMC/BMW, Israel’s D-FEND, the UAE’s Tabbara, Holland’s Robin Radar, Sigma Security of Greece, Poland’s Megavision, and VX Ray of the USA. The event will run from Tuesday until Thursday, with dedicated product showcases for commercial and perimeter security, homeland security, fire and rescue, safety and health, cybersecurity and special features, plus a powerful conference and knowledge-sharing programme.

Special features include the Attack Zone, which will be hosted by the Loss Prevention Certification Board and see exhibitors testing their products in live-action demonstrations; and the Safety Walk – sponsored by EnSafe Evacuation Chair, Jutec, and Teijin – which promises “a catwalk of industrial safety gear”. Meanwhile, the Tech Stage will unveil innovations, including virtual reality solutions, anti-drone technology, and new safety materials.

In the Start Smart Zone, start-ups will connect with decision-makers, buyers, and potential investors, while the purpose-built Future Defenders Hack Arena will see cybersecurity teams from schools, universities and CISOs compete for prizes and industry recognition. “Forecasts reveal an industry eager to invest,” said Nicholl. “The Middle East’s homeland security market is expected to grow annually by 14.5 per cent by 2024, while the commercial security market is set for 16.5 per cent annual growth to reach US$2.3 billion in value by 2026. Rising cybercrime is also fuelling demand with the Middle East and African market estimated to grow 14.35 per cent annually to 2030.”

Intersec this year also includes cybersecurity awareness sessions for students and sector professionals with Cybernode, a partnership between the Dubai Electronic Security Centre (DESC) and Thales, looking to up-skill the region’s cyber workforce. The main Intersec Conference features four dedicated streams and over 150 speakers. The invite-only, two-day Intersec Security Leaders’ Summit is a high-level strategic convention for policymakers and decision-makers to collaborate, innovate, and seek new technologies. The gathering will address government strategies, homeland security and policing commercial and perimeter security, and cutting-edge technologies.

There will also be an on-stage conversation around the development of a holistic approach to large event security management in which FIFA’s Director of Safety, Security, and Access will share learnings from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Other conference highlights will be keynotes by DESC’s Dr Bushra Al Blooshi, Head of Research & Innovation, on pioneering the digital economy, and another by Adrian Whelan, SVP, Head of Global Security at DHL Express, focusing on a future supply chain security roadmap.

The UAE Cybersecurity Council will also host a dedicated Cybersecurity Conference with attendees hearing from government leaders, CSOs and CISOs across oil and gas, BFSI, healthcare, hospitality, and energy and utility industries. A dedicated Fire & Rescue Conference will be hosted by Dubai Civil Defence and will see the region’s fire and emergency service leaders delve into the key challenges, opportunities, standards, policies, and technology. Meanwhile, a highly focussed Safety & Health Seminar will explore MENA’s new regulatory changes.

Intersec 2023 will also recognise the best of the security and safety industries through its awards programme, which has attracted 1,256 entrants – including 54 that have been shortlisted to be recognised at a gala dinner at the Ritz Carlton DIFC on Wednesday 18^th January. Messe Frankfurt Middle East anticipates Intersec 2023 will also deliver the event’s highest visitor turnout with pre-registrations showing an increase of 133 percent in 2021. Pre-registered visitors span 111 countries with first-time visitors coming from, among other countries, Ethiopia, and Kenya.

Intersec 2023 is supported by Dubai Police, the Directorate General of Dubai Civil Defence, Dubai Municipality, the Security Industry Regulatory Agency, the UAE’s Cyber Security Council and Dubai Electronic Security Centre. The event has a comprehensive sponsor portfolio that includes NAFFCO, Saudi Arabia’s National Security Services – SAFE, Dahua Technology, Hikvision, Digifort, Western Digital, Ateis VELOX, Commport, Monitoreal, Honeywell, PERCo, FM Approvals, Huawei, Cellebrite, NX Digital Technology, Onvif, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. It will be open to trade visitors daily from 10 am until 6 pm.