Speakers

Deepak Krishnan   
Sr. Automation Specialist
Interior Automation (L.L.C.)
Dubai, UAE

Interior Automation was founded in Dubai in 2006 to provide a technology deployment service for intelligent building control systems for clients in the Middle East. Deepak joined this growing and innovative organisation as a Senior Automation Specialist a year ago and is responsible for sales and marketing activities of the company in the UAE.

He graduated from BITS Pilani Dubai campus with B.E. Electrical / Electronics Engineering degree & was selected to work in a company which specialised in Extra Low Voltage Systems.

Moving on from his previous five years of experience specialised in security systems / life safety as part of Extra Low Voltage Systems, Deepak decided to specialize in lighting control and building automation solutions and as part of his work with Interior Automation he has pioneered energy saving solutions for the retrofit market in the UAE.

Hadi Esper   
Managing Partner
Shifra Smart Homes
Dubai, UAE

Hadi currently leads a Smart Homes System Integrator called Shifra Smart Homes based out of Dubai in the UAE. He has been actively following the progress of Smart Home technologies since 2005. For a period of 2 years, Hadi has researched and developed the Smart Home System currently offered by Shifra Smart Homes.

In 2010, Shifra Smart Homes was launched and started providing solutions to residential homes and palaces. The offered solution bridges the world of distributed multimedia (music, pictures, videos and movies) with sophisticated control systems for lighting, appliances, curtains, security, air conditioning, IR systems, and multi-room audio. The technology behind this solution is unique not only to the UAE, but also to the entire region. Being entirely wireless, the solution can be installed in any home whether already built or in construction; something no one has accomplished in the region before.

As an Entrepreneur and Business Manager, Hadi has created and led business development, sales and marketing initiatives to take the business from a start-up to a positive cash flow generation. This was specifically challenging because the Smart Homes industry is under-developed in the region and lacks any kind of market data. In addition, and because the technologies being sold by the company are new to the region, the creation of a new market and the education of individuals and companies would have to complement any marketing initiatives. Planning for business growth is a continuous process and is developed and implemented on the ground by Hadi.

Business development initiatives Hadi has participated in include interviews with magazines and newspapers such as SME Advisor and The National, participating in Conferences and exhibitions, advertising, marketing, creating and maintaining relationships with real estate developers, contractors, consultants, interior designers, and system integrators.

Lee Ellison
CEO
Audinate
Portland, USA

Lee brings more than 25 years executive leadership experience encompassing a broad range of technology sectors, including software, computer, and telecommunications. Most recently, Lee served as CEO of SustainOne, a strategic consulting company. Prior to that, Lee was founding Sales and Marketing Officer of Dilithium Networks, where he helped build Dilithium into a global leader in converged solutions for mobile and broadband networks and the Internet.

Lee previously served as the General Manager of Glenayre Wireless Business Unit. During his 17 year career at Glenayre, Lee held various roles in sales, marketing and general management positions including Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing and GM Worldwide Operations. During this period he had responsibilities for a staff of up to 250 people in 16 countries throughout Europe, Middle East, Latin America, and Asia Pacific.

Lee also served as an executive officer at Tektronix, where he was Vice President Global Sales and International Operations, with overall responsibility for a staff of 1,100 people in 26 countries.

Lee graduated from The Ohio State University with a BS, in 1978. He has also completed an executive education program in financial management at the University of Virginia's Darden Business School.

Ronald J Zimmer
President and CEO
Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA)
Ontario, Canada

Mr. Zimmer joined CABA in 1997 working with industry leaders who promote integrated systems and home/building automation throughout the world. CABA’s members include manufacturers, dealers, installers, service providers, energy utilities, builders, consultants, research organizations, publishers, educational institutions, governments, associations and content providers.

In addition to working closely with the CABA Board of Directors, Ron is actively involved with a number of industry Committees/Councils including the CABA Intelligent & Integrated Buildings Council, CABA Connected Home Council, Building Intelligence Quotient Advisory Board and Life-Cycle Costs Analysis Advisory Board.

He was instrumental in establishing the CABA XML and Web Services Committee (oBIX), which now resides with OASIS. He was also on the transition team that integrated the Internet Home Alliance into CABA, which became CABA’s Connected Home Research Council.

Ron is a Certified Association Executive with over 25 years of Association Management experience.  He has authored a number of articles and documents including, “Smart Communities: A Concept Paper,” and he regularly makes presentations on integrated buildings and home/building automation at industry events.

Tarek Zakaria
Head of Building Automation,
ABB
Dubai, UAE

Dipl.- Ing.
Head of ABB Building Automation UAE / Southern Gulf & Pakistan and Regional Manager for MEA region.
 
Twenty two years with ABB STOTZ-KONTAKT in Heidelberg Germany as Regional Business Development Manager in the field of KNX Intelligent Building Technologies and the last 9 years in the UAE with ABB United Arab Emirates L.L.C located in Dubai.

Tarek started his career in Germany 30 years ago and graduated in the Electrical Engineering from the Technical Engineering University Bremen/Germany.

After graduation Tarek started his professional career with a leading German company as system service engineer in the field of Industrial Automation and Computer Processing for industries and power generation segment.

Later he worked as Area Sales Manager in the field of chemical and industrial Processing plants with a pioneering American company manufacturing equipments and plants for refineries, oilfields and fuel treatment plants for power generation segment.