1. INDIA & ME INTERVIEW
Systems Integration Asia October - November 2014S70
A Very ‘Smart Entity’ In The Middle East AV space
The name is self-explanatory. Smartentity
Technologies and Consultancy, the
Kuwait-based IT infrastructure solutions
provider-turned integrated AV solutions
provider has made a name that perhaps
befits its name. With some of the most
prestigious installations in the region,
Smartentity is among the top AV players
in the Middle East. SIA interacted with
Chadi El KFoury, Founder & Director of
Smartentity to know what the ‘entity’ is
all about and up to. Excerpts:
SI Asia: Tell us something
about Smartentity- its
genesis, evolution through
the years, and its current
standing in the industry...
KFOURY: SMARTENTITY was established
in 2007, basing from Kuwait city. It
was founded with the sole purpose
of providing clients with high quality
professional commercial and residential
turnkey solutions and technical system
integration. Having started off with
passion and built in competencies
that were the need of the market, the
company quickly evolved into a leading
information technology turnkey solutions
provider in Kuwait. SMARTENTITY today
offers tailored design processes and
unparalleled customer service bringing
to place the world’s best audio, video
and automation brands.
Our business focus is to provide highest
level of service within the Information
Technology industry and offer an
extensive range of custom-made and
cost-effective solutions that serve and
compliment the client needs ensuring
incorporation of quality products and
processes.
Our vision is to be the primary provider of
information technology turnkey solutions
within Kuwait and the Middle East region.
SI Asia: In which verticals
does Smartentity operate in?
KFOURY: We operate in diverse vertical
markets like Education, Commercial,
Residential, Transportation, and
Retail, and diverse segments as well.
The company services and solutions
include AV automation installation and
presentation solutions consultancy
and outsourcing; installation of fibre
optic, electrical and security systems;
data cabling and building energy
management systems, besides luxury
home cinema.
SI Asia: Among these
diverse domains, what
is Smartentitity's core
competence? How does
it help the client? please
explain...
KFOURY: SMARTENTITY known as SEC
offers System Integration solutions as a
single-window turnkey solution, which
integrates the best-in-class products
and combines solutions to meet a wide
range of business needs from small
business entities to large conglomerates.
Whilst serving a number of major
clients, SMARTENTITY has developed
an excellent reputation by continuously
providing quality service and showing
commitment to their work.
An important part contributing to this
competence is the commitment to
excellence. SMARTENTITY commits
to leveraging its strengths in design,
technology and service to provide
end-to-end solutions. This strategy of
delivering complete solutions using our
global delivery model to both consumer
and corporate customers allows very
positive growth opportunities.
SMARTENTITY commits to simplifying the
way people interact with technology. With
the increasing number of technologies
and operating platforms at work and
home, SMARTENTITY solves the
complexity of managing technology with
reliable, consistent and scalable systems.
SMARTENTITY commits to continuously
improving work performance and
the quality of service provided;
including internal and external quality
performance, based on the needs of
today’s competitive market to ensure
complete satisfaction of our customers.
SI Asia: The Middle East
market overall has been
through both difficult times
and uptrends for the past
few years. How promising or
challenging do you find the
market today?
KFOURY: Commercial and Retail
segments look very promising in the
Middle East region- due to very high
consumer confidence, as also major
infrastructural investments happening
from the government front in various
states. The World Expo 2020 in Dubai
is a big thing; given the reputation of
the city, and the excitement it has been
generating promises to catalyse the
industry dynamics. The 2022 FIFA World
Cup event in Doha, as it is, has its own
pull, promising to bring along increased
industry activity on multiple fronts.
According to experts, this assessment
is made on the back of rising gross
domestic production and the approvals
for several new mega infrastructure
projects and government policies
aimed at further reducing the region’s
dependence on oil exports. “In short…
Kuwait and the Middle East are on track
to achieve their goals, with GDP rising at
a time when global economic conditions
remain unstable.”
SI Asia: How do you compare
the Middle East AV industry
against that in the West, and
Far East- in terms technology
adoption and client
awareness?

2. INDIA & ME INTERVIEW
Systems Integration Asia October - November 2014 71
KFOURY: Educating the client about the
technology available, its use, benefits to
business and the overall experience has
always been a hard task as compared
to other markets in the West. This may
appear to be low demand but that is
not the case always as the projects are
generally of considerable size work for
the integrator. However, it is racing
time now, and the industry looks very
promising.
SI Asia: What technology, or
trend you think is driving the
regional industry today? and
why? please explain...
KFOURY: As wider use of smart devices
become increasingly accepted, business
enterprises have been exploring
opportunities for migrating into adjacent
and associated market domains to
exploit new revenue models such as
mobile commerce and mobile payment
systems. Already, a number of data and
technology giants are jockeying for
position.
As these waves of disruptive
technologies – as a section of the
technology developers would want to
call it – continue, a whole new set of
markets will be created even as long-
established businesses are transformed.
In this radically changing environment,
network providers, for example, will be
faced with a choice: either evolve into
the role of innovation provider, or be
simply content to serve as a utility.
SI Asia: What has been
Smartentity's single biggest
achievement in the recent
past? how did it help the
company's brand identity
and competence?
KFOURY: The Bayan Palace in
Kuwait. One of the finest architectural
masterpieces in the Arab world, the
Amiri Diwan of the State of Kuwait is
an expansive palace premises spanning
nearly 1.4 million sqm, and sporting
an incredible AV systems integration.
As a turnkey solution, we have done
quite a prestigious integration. The task
included over 13,000 CAT7 and fiber
cabling points; Avaya telephony system
with over 4600 sets; Galaxy access
control system, surveillance, intrusion
detection, video management system,
integrated services; NEC video wall and
over 700 professional signage systems;
Exterity IPTV and digital signage
systems; PA with over 800 speakers;
Master Clock IP clock system; Active
Cisco components with fully redundant
core, distribution and edge layers); and
as many as 52 fully loaded meeting
rooms with a-z Crestron Digital Media
systems and Crestron Control systems.
The incredible work done at the palace
won us many credentials as the most
performing dealer/distributor in Kuwait.
Latest has been the most outstanding
wireless solution for 2013 by ClearOne.
SI Asia: What characterizes
Smartentity's contribution to
the Middle East AV industry?
please explain...
KFOURY: SMARTENTITY specializes
in creating custom home/office/
entertainment and automation solutions
for astute clientele. Our systems have
been installed in the homes of Royalty,
Heads of State and connoisseurs
throughout the region. We offer fully
integrated, fully customized, technology
turnkey and hassle-free solutions.
www.smartentity.net
SMARTENTITY started its business
in 2001 as an IT consulting firm
specializing in IT infrastructure,
life cycle application software and
web development. Led by a group
of professional IT experts with
vast knowledge of the industry
and market trends, and realizing
the market’s need for a quality
provider of unified turnkey solutions,
SMARTENTITY took into its stride
the challenges and complex nature
of IT system integration, products
and solutions- achieving many
growth laurels in the process. In
2007, SMARTENTITY changed its
business model to become the
premier Information Technology
Turnkey Solutions Provider.
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