< Previous UPDATE www.fm-middleeast.com10 October 2021 Farnek Hotel Management, a UAE- based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, has developed a ground- breaking hospitality app that digitalises a hotel guest’s journey from the initial reservation through to check out. The app which was developed in-house by Farnek’s award- winning technology and innovation division, interfaces with the hotel’s property management system (PMS) aff ording guests a whole suite of services from uploading travel documents, such as vaccination certifi cates, ordering a car on arrival, room service and laundry. The hotel app can also send automated electronic updates and alerts to the guest, as well as e-registration documents, e-invoices and e-receipts, all in one convenient space. Walter Knight, Director of Hospitality at Farnek said, “Flexi-Guest achieves three main hotel objectives. First of all, it off ers the guest an enhanced experience, providing a seamless pre-arrival and check-in procedure. “Secondly, during the stay, guests can order room service in advance, have laundry picked up or delivered, request early or late check outs, invoices or order a car to go to the airport. Because the app manages secure online payments, the guest doesn’t even need to physically visit the reception. “Finally, the hotel benefi ts too. If the experience is good, the guest is more likely to return and also recommend the hotel to friends and colleagues. The hotel operates more effi ciently, saving staff time and expense and has the added advantage of driving revenue through F&B and e-concierge services,” added Knight. Farnek has just completed a successful trial of the app, having secured a contract for the Expo Village, situated on the Expo 2020 site. STAT ATTACK APP Farnek Hotel Management launches Flexi-Guest at AHIC 100MW Masdar, a subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company, has inaugurated the 100MW Nur Navoi Solar Project – Uzbekistan’s fi rst successfully-fi nanced independent power producer (IPP) solar project. 31,000 households Once fully operational, the plant will produce enough power for 31,000 households and displace around 150,000 tonnes of CO2 each year. 25 years Masdar established Nur Navoi Solar FE LLC as the local project company to deliver the PV plant, and to operate and maintain it over a 25-year period. 457MW Masdar has also won the tender for another solar project in Uzbekistan, for a 457MW photovoltaic solar power plant in the Sherabad district of the Surkhandarya province. 500MW Masdar has also agreed to develop, build and operate a 500 MW wind farm in Zarafshan, and in April, the company signed an Implementation Agreement with the Government of Uzbekistan to extend the capacity of the project to up to 1.5 gigawatts (GW). NEWS www.fm-middleeast.comOctober 2021 11 STORE The Sanipex Group announced the launch of its fourth lifestyle concept store. Located in Al Barsha, Dubai’s emerging hub for interior design, the new Sanipex Gallery Al Barsha officially opened its doors on the 19th September. Spanning over 1,300 square metres, the Sanipex Group Al Barsha is a one- stop-shop dedicated to elevated indoor and outdoor living for A&D professionals and residential clients across the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The expansive space features inspirational room sets and displays showcasing thousands of products across the Outdoor Furniture, Tiles & Slabs, Outdoor Spa, Lighting, Bar & Kitchen, BBQ, Planters, and Urban Landscape categories. Daryl Barker, managing director at Sanipex Group, said: “The new Sanipex APPOINTMENT Public services company Serco has appointed KSA national, Nawara Al Osaimi to lead ExperienceLab in KSA as part of its plan to expand within the Kingdom and support the public sector in providing the best customer and user experience to both citizens and residents. Al Osaimi will take a leading role in expanding Serco’s ExperienceLab’s capability in Kingdom. As a user- centred research and design agency, ExperienceLab will help organisations and the Saudi government use the unique understanding of data and insights to design, evolve and adapt services to cater to their end-users and deliver world-class experiences in the Kingdom. Al Osaimi said: “I’m very excited to be joining and leading a diverse and multicultural team of designers and researchers and utilise my background Immersive 1,300 sqm showroom which will feature a new show apartment concept, opens in Al Barsha in response to rise in demand for design-led, luxury, outdoor living After growing up in the multi-cultural eastern region of Saudi Arabia, Nawara Al Osaimi managed to build and launch the fi rst user experience programme in Saudi Arabia Serco hires national talent to provide bett er citizen experience in KSA The Sanipex Gallery Al Barsha. show apartment that delivers a truly immersive lifestyle experience. The second phase is scheduled to open in December 2021, the show apartment will include a kitchen, dream wine cellar, spa-style master bathroom, sumptuous shower room, and even balcony with a luxury swimming pool. Situated on the new Gallery mezzanine floor, the space will also incorporate a tile library and the Sanipex Group’s recently expanded lighting collection for innovative illumination for indoor and outdoor spaces. The Sanipex Gallery Al Barsha is located on Umm Sequim Street in Al Barsha, near to Mall of the Emirates and within reach of Dubai’s major commercial and residential areas. (Timings: Saturday – Thursday 8:30am – 9:00pm, Friday 10:00am – 9:00pm) in user experience design to enhance the overall citizen experience in alignment with the Kingdom’s 2030 vision.” With KSA witnessing vast transformation ahead of 2030 by introducing Giga Projects, focusing on tourism experience, enhancing the entertainment sector and more, it’s vital to ensure that the end user gets the best experience. ExperienceLab can support this transition by improving the quality of services and taking the customer experience to a different level. Kristine Pitts, director of Serco’s ExperienceLab in the Middle East added: “Nawara’s joining marks an exciting new chapter for ExperienceLab here in the Kingdom and demonstrates our commitment to taking this capability to Saudi as a key target market for Serco and ExperienceLab. With a background in Gallery showroom in Al Barsha is key to the Group’s future expansion strategy. Across the region, demand for directional design for indoor and outdoor products has soared over the past 12 months; the launch of our new concept showroom in Al Barsha is in direct response to what our professional and private clients want.” The Al Barsha showroom heralds the introduction of an entirely new concept from the Sanipex Group; a fully functional Sanipex Group launches fourth concept store in the UAE service design and design strategy, Nawara will take a leading role in establishing the capability in market. As a Saudi national she also brings a deep understanding of her country and its citizens to ExperienceLab’s global expertise and experience.” Al Osaimi managed to build and launch the first user experience programme in Saudi Arabia with the non-profit Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Foundation (MiSK) organisation, as well as providing guidance and mentorship for their students to pursue careers in the sector after graduation. Nawara Al Osaimi. NEWS www.fm-middleeast.com12 October 2021 LAUNCH Dubai Design District (d3), a global centre for art, architecture, fashion, design, and retail, is announcing its participation in the 3rd Edition of the Dubai Home Festival with its d3 Rethink Interiors initiative taking place from Sunday, 19 September to Thursday, 30 September 2021. d3 Rethink Interiors will bring together an artisanal community to promote Dubai as an international hub, which is home to global, regional, and local brands within the design, art, and fashion industries. d3 inspires viewers to see creativity from a new perspective by giving them the opportunity to rethink the regular and change their home perspective. More than 20 luxury and boutique homeware and furniture retailers located EVENT Real estate experts addressing the Cityscape Global Summit live and in-person this November will probe shifting buyer demands and identify post- pandemic challenges and opportunities to highlight how sustainability continues to rise the industry’s agenda. According to Dounia Fadi, chief operating officer, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Gulf Properties, recent shifts in buyer behaviour have led to demand for “live-work-play communities” that demonstrate “the importance of sustainability.” Fadi predicts the Summit, which runs from 7th - 8th November 2021 at Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) at the Dubai Expo site, will be a vital cog in the recalibration of the UAE’s real estate industry as it emerges from the pandemic. “I would like participants to walk away with a better understanding of the UAE real estate sector’s potential, specifically d3 Rethink Interiors will bring together an artisanal community to promote Dubai as an international hub The Cityscape Global Summit runs from 7- 8 November 2021 at Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) Digital technology empowering sustainability’s rise up the real estate agenda Dubai Design District . design from a new perspective. It will also cement Dubai’s position as a leading destination for design, creativity and retail.” d3 Rethink Interiors will also feature a panel discussion on ‘How to bring Luxury, Design and Style to your home?’’ on Wednesday 29 September at 7pm. Among the speakers will be Rayan Abi Al Mona, managing partner of Sensi and Omar Nakkash, design director at Nakkash. in Dubai amidst the pandemic, as well as the shifting opportunities, challenges and customer behaviour in the current global context,” explained Fadi. At the Summit, Fadi plans to drill down into the changing habits of buyers, tenants and investors to examine how the UAE can reap the rewards of government moves to ensure safety, growth and sustainability in an uncertain world. “There are challenges ahead, such as freedom of movement,” added Fadi. “While new variants and outbreaks continue to affect policies, the UAE government’s heads on approach and in the stylish and innovative landmark district will offer shoppers discounts of up to 40% on selected items and even get the chance to win a voucher worth AED25,000 when spending a minimum of AED2,000. This can be redeemed at any of the participating d3 homeware stores or showrooms, which sell premium and well- known brands such as Sensi, Ligne Roset, Christopher Guy, Nakkash, Hands, Room 1844, Be4 Design, Purity and Marazzi. Khadija Al Bastaki, executive director of d3, said: “Our thriving community is home to many brilliant local and international home interior design retailers and brands, so we are delighted to highlight this wonderful collection. Through ‘d3 Rethink Interiors’, we aim to inspire people to rethink the regular and look at interior Dubai Design District launches d3 Rethink Interiors determination to stay ahead of the curve will give confidence to those who live in the country and external investors. As realtors, we must pass that confidence on to international investors. If the UAE continues to control the pandemic and remain proactive with policies designed to tackle the virus, it will encourage investors, businesses and market movers.” The Summit will also hear how technology is advancing the recharged demand for sustainable living solutions, with Franco Atassi, CEO Smart Infrastructure at Siemens Middle East, predicting digitally advanced, smart cities will be key. The live and in-person event will be held in adherence with Informa AllSecure, an enhanced health and safety standards that raise the bar on safe, hygienic, productive, and high-quality event experiences. Sponsors Colliers, JLL, Land Sterling, LWK + Partners and Regus. Cityscape Global Summit.www.fm-middleeast.com COMMENT October 2021 13 etween 1960 and 2020, the po p u l a t i o n of Dubai has multiplied 80 times from 40,000 in 1960 to 3.3 million while the urban and built area of the emirate increased 170-fold from just 3.2 square km. Keeping the population growth into perspective, the key objectives, in brief, of Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan are to: upgrade Dubai’s urban areas; improve the efficiency of resource utilisation; develop vibrant, healthy and inclusive communities; provide sustainable and flexible means of mobility; foster greater economic activity and attract foreign investments to new sectors; enhance environmental sustainability; safeguard the emirate’s cultural and urban heritage and strengthen citizens’ attachment to older neighbourhoods; and develop a comprehensive legislation and plan a governance model to support sustainable development and growth. The Expo 2020 which begins from October can be like a litmus test for FM firms Want to enter the debate? If you have any comments to make on these issues, email the editor at rajiv.pillai@itp.com. VIEWP INT Expo 2020 can be a good testing ground for FM companies to understand the volume of people and growth to handle in the future, especially under the Dubai 2040 plan RAJIV RAVINDRAN PILLAI Working smart B About the author Rajiv Ravindran Pillai is the editor of Facilities Management Middle East. to understand how the future can be handled. Several FM firms are already in on Expo 2020: Business solutions provider Transguard Group has revealed that it has secured AED102m in contracts for Expo 2020 Dubai and will deploy more than 3,000 of its employees across 17 pavilions and other common areas at the event site. ServeU has won the bid to manage the facilities of 14 pavilions participating at Expo 2020 Dubai, which is set to open this October. Also, UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, has secured FM contracts for eight national pavilions, worth AED16.7m at Expo 2020. The countries include, China, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Singapore, The Philippines, Bahrain, Morocco and Pakistan. Expo 2020 will give FM firms an idea of the future and how technology and people can be mobilised and handled in the right way and in an efficient manner. COMPANY UPDATE 14 October 2021www.fm-middleeast.com Parris Ullrich, regional operations director Middle East at Mace Group, provides a quick update on the consultancy and construction fi rm, and the FM market I n a conversation with Parris Ullrich, regional operations director Middle East at global consultancy and construction firm Mace Group, she reveals that the FM industry has never had an impact that it’s seen due to the pandemic. With regards to Mace she says: “I think we’ve had to adapt very quickly but I think a benefit to Mace is that we are agile enough to make IN CONSULTATION those changes quickly. Obviously we needed to support our clients through the transition. We've had to adapt to the new ways of working for our clients. A number of clients have gone back to business-as-usual, predominantly in our region; however, we’re having to work with corporate clients now to establish new ways of working through hybrid models. This has led us to practice what we preach. We’re currently going through repurposing our head office.” To that effect Mace has also introduced a new workplace app to help people manage the space they want to use – be it booking a desk for the day or finding the meeting space they need to collaborate effectively. Mace, which has 6,000 staff members globally, is broken into four verticals: develop, consult, construct and operate. Ullrich is in the operate business, COMPANY UPDATE October 2021 15www.fm-middleeast.com which comprises outsourced facilities management solutions, FM consultancy and help desk services. Talking a bit about FM consultancy, Ullrich says that there is big drive in this region, especially in Saudi market. “Saudi is going through some huge changes. We are working on a number of big key projects.” Mace has large footprints in education, residential, retail, international banking, and corporate sectors. Ullrich adds: “Corporate real estate is a very large part of our business and model; our outsource model fits really well when clients have multiple locations, because we’re able to cover multiple geographies. And because we’re not dictated by requiring to have manpower. We’re much more agile and we ensure that our clients are getting consistency and efficiencies delivered across their entire portfolio.” Talking about the FM consultancy business, Ullrich says that people are more focused on sustainability, which is more about energy management. The other aspect is technology. She adds: “There’s a huge drive in technology. That is going to be a huge disrupter, as we move into predictive maintenance rather than preventative maintenance.” “I think people look at buildings differently now. There is a real push to smartly utilise real estate.” However, clients are still not very accepting when it comes to technology in this region, she adds. “Globally, yes [people are more accepting of technology] but locally it’s still in progress. Although I have been here for 16 years, and I've seen the industry come a really long way. I think we’ve been on a really fast trajectory.” Mace is predominately in Saudi, Qatar, and Dubai, and is also looking at Egypt and Bahrain. When comparing different regions, Ullrich believes that Saudi has a much greater appetite for technology. “I think on the new developments that Saudi is planning and because of the Saudi 2030 strategy, it will look towards adopting more technology. They are looking to make Saudi into an amazing tourist hub. They’re developing whole communities which means we’re going to have to adopt technology. Whereas with a couple of other clients, predominantly in Qatar, they are a little bit more traditional and prefer traditional ways of working. “Dubai has a real good mix of clients. You’re dealing with older, local companies versus corporate real estates that have new ways of working.” Mace has just launched its 2026 business strategy, which outlines its ambitious plans for the next five years. Talking about the challenges in the market, Ullrich says that there ought to be more collaboration and partnerships with FM clients. “I see a real difference in the contracts that are driven through partnership, and working together.” The other challenge she says is that there are a lot of manpower companies masking as facilities management firms. “We’ve got numerous facility management companies in the region, and just a small handful that offer true facilities management services.” The other aspect that Ullrich discusses is the lack of involvement of FM during the construction stage. “I think what you tend to see is when a design comes together, it goes through a value engineering process, all of the things that possibly are not important at the time, are reduced or removed, and it can sometimes be disfunctional. So I think, there could be savings and benefits in the long run if we’re [FM] involved earlier.” Ullrich concludes by saying: “I think technology will be disruptive [in the FM industry]. Also, clients instead of looking at cost reductions are focused more on cost-efficient solutions and sustainability.” Parris Ullrich, regional operations director Middle East at Mace Group. I THINK PEOPLE LOOK AT BUILDINGS DIFFERENTLY NOW. THERE IS A REAL PUSH TO SMARTLY UTILISE REAL ESTATE.” THE BIG INTERVIEW 16 October 2021www.fm-middleeast.com In a candid interview with Sanjeevv Bhatia, CEO of Netix Global B.V., a subsidiary of SB Group International, talks everything from Bollywood, building maintenance to Brownfi eld Revolution TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND ABOUT THE SB GROUP HISTORY. I have always strived to address unmet needs through innovation, and this has found its expression in the array of market-leading ventures I have established. I am a born salesman and innovator, and through my experiences, I have learned to lead, guided by the lessons that life has taught me. I love people; so selling them what they actually need is what drives me to do more, and better. I believe that perseverance and ethics are key elements to success. As the founder of the SB Group, or what I prefer calling the YYYE company which stands for our cornerstone values - Integrity, Synergy, Agility, Balance. These values come from the life experiences that have shaped me. My journey from rags to success started at the young age of 14 but through each step of my career, I have been guided by this set of values that made me who I am today. My life has been a remarkable journey so far, and I wouldn't want to have it any other way. I have learned to back my values; because when your intentions are right and your heart is pure, it all falls into place, naturally. It took me a long time and considerable ups and downs to reach here, but smooth seas never made a tough sailor. My career has spanned from selling pens to tiles and I even ventured into Bollywood, where I was a part of some very successful film projects. However, the industry being very unorganised and unstable, and not having consistency in my income, I landed in Abu Dhabi, where I had spent some early years of my life. After moving to Dubai I worked CONNECTING FM as an employee, and I did so with passion. My last role as an employee was with Honeywell, where I figured out that the emergency lighting industry was a monopoly in the region. In my spare time, I got in touch with several companies in this field, finally reaching an understanding with Teknoware, and bringing them to Dubai. In spite of a lot of stiff competition and the monopolies of the big players, we won the Dubai Metro project, and from there onwards, we've not looked back. Along the way, there have been several landmark projects – at the Palm, the Sofitel, in the Marina, in the Habtoor City, the La Perle, and many more. These led to major project wins in Qatar, as well as the Muscat Airport, the Mecca Metro, and more. Along the way, we found the right partners, and did things the right way. As a group, we quickly reached around AED100m in revenue, AED25m of orders under execution, AED40m of projects in the pipeline. We were headed for even bigger things, and all of a sudden, to our complete shock, our company experienced a hostile takeover by our local Emirati sponsor. That is where hell broke loose. We found ourselves in a very complicated situation: he could not manage the business, our projects in pipeline started to get cancelled, projects in execution were in big trouble, the banks wouldn’t stop calling, the liabilities were accumulating and the whole thing was collapsing. I was living in a very vivid nightmare but I knew my intentions were pure and I did nothing wrong. So I decided to take things one day at a time and fought back; because we always spoke our truth. Our decline was faster than our growth but truth prevailed and we managed to stabilise, and set ourselves up for success again. Together with a team of only 30 people, we rose back up, cleared the cases, and won in the Federal Supreme Court of Justice. I am grateful every day, to the Almighty and for the faith and dedication of my team, and for the trust many showed, which helped us bounce back. So, it's been an interesting journey, to say the least, and I believe the entire experience has made us stronger; ensured that our fundamentals are rock solid, and made us the sort of values- driven enterprise that attracts great partners and collaborators. TELL US MORE ABOUT NETIX GLOBAL AND ABOUT THE NETIX NOVUS PARTNER PROGRAM THAT WAS LAUNCHED ON SEPT 1ST AT THE BURJ KHALIFA. WHO ARE ALL THE PARTNERS? Being an OEM and solution provider in the building automation space, Netix realised the industry desperately needed an effective partnership model to drive the implementation of seamless, AI and IoT enabled, open-protocol, and vendor-neutral building automation solutions. The days of market monopoly and locked-in systems are long gone; building owners and operators need to be able to maintain, upgrade or integrate across vendors and technologies, without the need to start from scratch, or pay an exorbitant fee. To address this need, we have developed Netix Novus program which aims to create a network of certified partners, empowered with the necessary tools to lead this new approach, and start a Brownfield Revolution in the real estate arena. We successfully launched Netix Novus Partner Program, as part of a conference we organised at the Burj Khalifa, with THE BIG INTERVIEW October 2021 17www.fm-middleeast.com several industry thought leaders and dignitaries attending, 180 in-person guests as well as 4000+ online attendees from over 25 countries and reaching 14000 online views. We believe that this initiative will leave just as definitive a mark on the real estate industry in the region, as that iconic venue. The Netix Novus Partner Program has already created a stir in the market, and the vast majority of people are welcoming it. The launch event was met with an overwhelmingly positive response. People are acknowledging that we are challenging the status quo, with upbeat anticipation of the coming Brownfield revolution in Middle East real estate. The program was inspired by the successful implementation of Netix's solutions in projects handled by ODS Global, a Dubai-based company with a strong connected buildings, smart cities, sustainability, and energy efficiency focus - and now the program's first Platinum Partner. A company with stellar credentials, ODS has won the maintenance of the Building Management System (BMS) of 18 properties and 5 vertical communities by Emaar, across Downtown Dubai and Dubai Creek Harbour. Netix's retrofit solutions enabled ODS Global to avoid replacing the entire system and help Mazaya save 75% of costs. Netix's IoT and AI-based open protocol solutions also played a crucial role in ODS Global Sanjeevv Bhatia, chairman of SB Group and CEO of Netix Global B.V. THE BIG INTERVIEW 18 October 2021www.fm-middleeast.com being awarded a three-year maintenance contract for the building automation systems of 24 DAMAC Properties towers; the upgrade and maintenance of 3 Mazaya Towers' buildings; and system integration projects at the Jafza Convention Centre, the BVLGARI Resort in Jumeirah Bay, the Pullman Hotel, and the Emirates Airlines Staff Accommodation in Dubai. Even before the official launch of the Novus program, Netix shook hands with Garnet, part of JBK Controls - a market leader in Qatar with 27+ years of experience in ELV, BMS and Security Services; as well as with Electro Power Systems, who are market leaders in the KSA, and also have a strong 20-year presence across Yemen, Qatar, Jordan, Dubai, and Bahrain. Some of the leading names in the industry are the promotors of the Netix Novus program, including Priyesh Bhatia, general manager of ODS Global; Ganesh Khanolkar, managing director of Exenture India & ODS India, DoS of Teknoware and Netix; Jehad Abu Shamiyeh, CEO of Electro Power Systems, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Vivek Wagh, business development director, SB Group International, Oman, Africa & South East Asia; and Jagdish Rajan, CEO, Garnet Technologies, part of JBK Qatar. WHAT EXACTLY IS THE BROWNFIELD REVOLUTION? One analogy, which is useful to understand the Brownfield Revolution and the advantages our partners and their clients gain, using the Netix Novus Partner program, is how the owner of a premium branded car maintains their vehicle. Premium cars like Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, or Range Rover, are bought and owned in the UAE during their warranty period. After that these cars are sold, because of the very high maintenance cost. Often these used cars are exported to markets where their maintenance is much cheaper. The same is true of our buildings which have expensive building automation systems, and as they age they are maintained by OEMs and their agents, at a high cost, because the systems have been locked-in; till now. The alternative is finding a reputed service provider, who can continue offering routine maintenance services, at a lesser cost, without compromising on quality. This is the solution that Netix Novus Partner Program will enable in the building automation space. The Brownfield Revolution, which Netix Global B.V. and our certified partners will enable through the one- of-a-kind Netix Novus Partner Program, ends the era of locked-in legacy systems, and replaces it with the “Android” approach to building automation. Similar to the Android platform which simply and seamlessly enables apps created by a diverse array of vendors and firms, our approach gives building owners and operators an AI and IoT enabled platform which becomes the open- protocol, plug and play, vendor-neutral building automation ‘host’; through which all current and future solutions can be operated, without the need for huge CapEx inputs, or discarding previous assets. So the Brownfield Revolution allows the upgrade of existing buildings to smart infrastructure, which is compatible with all current and future innovations. WHAT MAKES NETIX'S APPROACH DIFFERENT FROM ITS COMPETITORS? Netix Konnect- Intelligent Integrated Command and Control Center (iICCC) based Energy Management Platform, is perhaps the greatest driver of the Netix Novus Partner Program. Using these centralised platforms, our certified partners gain real-time control over up to 84% of the building energy consumption. They can use the iICCC platform’s state- of-the-art and powerful diagnostic tools to deliver up to 28% savings in energy cost. HOW DO YOU SEE THE BUILDING AUTOMATION MARKET CURRENTLY? HOW IS THE UAE REGION WHEN COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE MIDDLE EAST? The digital transformation of the Middle East’s real estate industry has been outstanding, with some of the most accelerated adoption of technology, globally. And all stakeholders need to be congratulated on backing innovation so universally, from owners, FM operators, vendors, OEMs, developers, and most importantly tenants. So, while the ability of technology and automation to enhance efficiencies, productivity, savings, and sustainability, is being acknowledged; the challenge is to overcome the limitations of legacy models. This is where the Netix Novus Partner Program, with its ability to enable the implementation of the “Android” approach - without the issue of vendor lock-ins, exorbitant The Netix Novus partner program logo. Sanjeevv Bhatia, CEO of Netix, speaking at the Netix Novus Partner Program launch, which was part of a conference organised at the Burj Khalifa, Dubai.THE BIG INTERVIEW October 2021 19www.fm-middleeast.com fees, or costly system overhauls – will play a transformative role. Especially since it will also enable a forum to share experience, knowledge, successful use cases, and expertise. And the opportunity is huge. The building automation industry is worth approximately more than AED1bn in the UAE, and more than approximately AED10bn across the Middle East – when you take a comprehensive overview of factors such as ongoing maintenance, upgrades, services, retrofits, new construction, and more. Globally, we are looking at an opportunity worth more than approximately AED1tr in installed assets! This is why the evolution from a largely disorganised sector, with inherent vendor dependencies, is the only good choice for the industry to make. HOW CAN NETIX NOVUS PROGRAM HELP FACILITIES MANAGERS? Facilities management is no longer only about everyday maintenance and upkeep of assets. Regulations are becoming stricter, tenant's priorities have evolved, and real estate businesses are facing pressures to reduce their operating costs as well. What's more, the post-pandemic new normal has made these factors even more acute. What makes the Netix Novus Partner Program particularly timely is that it helps the industry address all of these issues optimally, and at the same time. It turns all these challenges into advantages, by allowing FM service providers to emerge as the enablers who help the industry adapt to a new set of parameters, while becoming more profitable than ever. At the same time, the truly big-picture issues, such as climate change and sustainability, are also within the scope of this program. Essentially, the program generates a win-win, for all stakeholders, and empowers FM service providers to be the ones driving this evolution. The bottom line is that facility managers will be able to deliver year on year incremental cost savings for their customers, by implementing the solutions made accessible by the Netix Novus Partner Program. WHAT ARE YOUR EXPANSION PLANS? Netix has plans to further expand our operations and footprint in the region, many of which are already underway. Netix is currently in discussions with a partner in Oman, for the implementation of our solutions across 450 properties. We are also planning a further expansion of our regional presence in the Qatar, KSA, and Egypt markets. We have already opened an office in Abu Dhabi, which is particularly relevant because of the predominantly older buildings there. By using Netix solutions, building owners and operators in Abu Dhabi, and anywhere else, will be able to make significant savings in operating costs, while also delivering higher quality services to their tenants, operating more sustainably, and extending the lifecycles of their assets. These advantages will be very significant in Abu Dhabi, which has the potential to make a transformative leap in operations and outcomes, because of its older existing building stock. Owners and operators in Abu Dhabi will not only be able to leap several generations in technology, but also make their properties future- ready, and able to integrate the innovations that emerge in the years to come. Besides the Middle East, we are opening an office in the UK and Canada by the end of this year. Netix Novus partner program event: Comments from in-person and virtual att endees “Great initiative Sanjeevv. The Brownfi eld Revolution is now the talk of the town.” “Very well done event. The décor, compere, presenters were all good. Missed being there in person.” “I really enjoyed your program. I wish you and the big family of SB Group more and more success.” “Great show Sanjeevv!!!! Am really proud of you.” “The event was really amazing. Kudos to you and everybody”. “Congratulations! It was indeed a great function…good luck and best wishes.” “This is a great att empt to organise the unorganised market.” “This is fi rst time remarkable att empt in the automation industry.” “We don’t have this in Europe either.”Next >