Andrew Elvish of Genetec spoke to In Security at Intersec in Dubai. Andrew is the Vice President of Marketing. He talked broadly about the Montreal-based company’s aspirations and recent successes. Genetec is winning significant contracts in the Middle East and has conducted a global research survey whose region-specific conclusions Andrew shared with us.
Macroeconomic conditions such as inflation, interest rates and a climate of geopolitical uncertainty are naturally factored into the company’s outlook. While senior executives are of course realists, their pragmatism tends towards optimism when anticipating demand for innovative new products.
Security Center SaaS is a new offering from Genetec. It’s the cloud (or hybrid) as-a-service version of the Genetec open protocol unified physical security platform Security Center. The software suite can connect an impressive range of systems, sensors and data types into a centralized environment that allows facility managers to make the best possible decisions with the best possible data. Information across a multi-site campus environment can be aggregated by Security Center into a meaningful whole that provides real-time visibility of field personnel and enhanced situational awareness.
Andrew explains that Security Center has a competitive advantage over anything comparable and is one of the few physical security systems that can keep pace with the vision of forward-thinking end users who want to run investigations and make prompt decisions from a single interface.
Security Center offers clients a scalable environment for IP video surveillance, access control, and automatic licence plate recognition (ALPR). Its interface features a dynamic map-based visualization that reduces training costs for new recruits and acts as a familiar platform as a facility grows. Genetec developed Security Center for managers who wanted to identify anomalies and trends at their site and would not accept the delay and inconvenience of exporting data to another tool.
Andrew enthusiastically discusses Security Center SaaS and notes that it can be purely cloud-based or hybrid. He adds that the product release coincides with new attitudes to security in the Middle East and a dismantling of scepticism here towards cloud adoption. Talking about the exceptional Genetec R&D team, he says that designing hardware and software require different mindsets and that as communicators, Genetec can claim to be informing opinions in the industry.
So where does Andrew see the Genetec product suite being installed over the next few years in the Middle East? He said, “There is one vertical where I think we are a more than usually valuable proposition, and that sector is set to expand here in the Middle East midway through the decade. Data centres. This is a niche where Genetec has secured brands like Telehouse America in Staten Island and Los Angeles. We also protect many Australian datacentres for the NEXTDC brand.”
He continued, “Security Center and now Security Center Saas are a good fit for data centres, and we have transferable skills from how similar projects have been implemented. We can really manage at scale in this market with the extra metadata. And the scalability in Genetec products makes us good for a vertical that is seeing higher than average enquiries currently. I’m bullish about all this.”
Andrew said, “It’s part of the ambition that Genetec detects in aspiring businesses here; entrepreneurs are really going for it. We also note this in Sub-Saharan Africa. The fact that Genetec has managed to put so much asset control and reporting into a single lane with Security Center will appeal to end users at information technology sites who by definition are progressive given their core service.”
Andrew also discusses the trends he sees in the evolution of the cameras that are analysed by Genetec. He said, “A significant development from camera makers has been analytics power at the edge. I'm thinking particularly of Hanwha Vision, Bosch and Axis. I’ve just come from a meeting here with Axis. We have introduced a layer into Security Center where we look at all the cameras in an area or zone. In this way we empower staff against access control intrusion and give them meaningful analytics streams from the cameras. The scrutiny can be forensic.”
Genetec is, first and foremost, an enabler and Andrew talks about empowering operators who have varying levels of computer literacy. He said, “The important thing is to give them accurate information in an intuitive environment – queries that they can really use. Structure is crucial, but we also want smoother faster operating experiences.”
Andrew mentions an international survey performed every year by Genetec. For the purposes of this interview, he focuses on findings in the Middle East. He notes that survey respondents identified staff training as a challenge. Budgets are generous and AI implementation is advanced. However, end-users in the Middle East stated that technical training and staff upskilling were the number one challenge in 2024. No other region reported back on this challenge in the same way.
The interview continues to discuss human resources in security departments internationally. Andrew notes (with a hint of frustration) that despite the multi-role capabilities and versatility of today’s premium software, security professionals are still too often seen as a cost of doing business – rather than as energizers and problem solvers. He wryly observes that in certain regions (he will not be drawn as to where) security is still mentioned by old school facilities managers in the same breath as plumbing! But in the Middle East, security professionals are being given a more prominent seat at the table contributing earlier in discussions of new developments, alongside architects and planners. Integrators, security vendors and channel partners are now part of a a collaborative, forward-thinking approach and are positioning security as a cornerstone of resilience and strategic growth. It’s a positive note to end on!
