a&s Middle East No.1

A New Leaf Heralds the Spring of the Middle East Security Industry

First, know that I am pleased to announce that an idea that has been brewing in the drawers of our global editorial offices from China and Taiwan to Bosnia and Herzegovina and from India to Poland has finally seen the light of day: you are holding the first issue of a&s Middle East magazine in your hands. Our new project is the result of 20 years of business experience in the European and Asian security world. The manager of the project is the management and editorial team responsible for the success of a&s Adria magazine, with its close to two hundred print issues, Adria Security Summit, the largest security trade show in Southeast Europe, and Connect2b, one of the leading European platforms for connecting market players. All of these projects serve as the seals of quality and experience in the media business and the organization of major trade events. The Automation & Security magazine Group will take part in shaping the Middle Eastern security scene with its in-depth knowledge of the security industry.

It is a fortunate coincidence that the first issue of the a&s Middle East magazine came out right after the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the first major sporting event held in the Middle East. This superbly organized event that gathered the nations on the border between the East and West passed without a single incident – as it should be in the cradle of cultures and religions. That’s why we put this event in the spotlight in our first issue. It was an unprecedented organizational endeavor in the world of global sports, where all stadiums were connected to one control & command center, monitored by more than 15,000 cameras, given full access control across all gates and doors, with drone-assisted traffic monitoring and open communication channels with thousands of security guards. Such a level of excellence has never been achieved before, which is proof of the development and stability of the Gulf countries.

In the first issue, you can also read about the largest survey of the global security industry, Security 50 in which the leading market and technological trends are analyzed through the business results of the 50 largest security companies. The security industry, despite the great challenges, is recovering, to the joy of all of us. The spring of the security industry awaits us and our a&s Middle East magazine will be its first herald.

Mahir Hodžić, General Manager