SecurityWorldMarket

08/06/2017

The 2017 security industry top influencers

London, UK

Martin Gren named as the Security Industry's Top Influencer 2017

Just in time for the Ifsec 2017 exhibition, and after extensive consultation with a panel of judges from across the industry, the Ifsec Global team have revealed the Top 50 influencers in security & fire 2017: security manufacturers/service providers.  Heading the list for 2017 is Martin Gren, co-founder and director of Axis Communications in Sweden.

Martin Gren topped the list in 2013 and has never been outside the top 10 since, finishing second in 2016.  As influential as ever 23 years after co-founding Axis Communications, Martin Gren attracted huge volume of nominations from people within Axis and across the supply chain. Gren also helped invent the world’s first network camera in 1996 when few people used the internet and those that did used dial-up access.

The judging panel affirmation for placing Gren at the head of the list for 2017. “Always one step ahead in term of vision, innovation and investment […] Martin continues to be the opinion maker and influencer in the field of security and video surveillance." 

Taking the number two spot for 2017 is Dr Mahesh Saptharishi, chief technology officer at Avigilon. With18 years’ experience in developing smart video analytics technology and network camera software/hardware Dr Mahesh Saptharishi leads the company’s engineering team and recently-announced Centers of Excellence R&D initiative. As CTO he is responsible for driving innovation in Avigilon’s product and intellectual property portfolios, identifying strategic technology capabilities and exploring new business opportunities. Avigilon launched the world’s first 7K surveillance camera last year and have moved aggressively in the burgeoning video analytics market, acquiring patents from Behavioral Recognition Systems Inc (BRS Labs), Facedouble Incorporated, ITS7 Pty Ltd and the Videomining Corporation for a total of just over $13m.

The number three influencer for 2017 is Joseph Grillo, CEO Vanderbilt Industries, and head of the list in 2016.  Joe Grillo is a 30-year veteran of the electronic security and identification industries with a track record of successfully growing, acquiring and restructuring businesses.  In 2012 Mr. Grillo founded Acre, LLC as a platform to consolidate acquisitions in the electronic security industry. In September of 2012, Acre successfully acquired the Software and Controllers product portfolio from Ingersoll Rand’s security business (now Allegion) and renamed it Vanderbilt Industries. In May 2013 Acre completed the acquisition of Mercury Security, and in June 2015 purchased the former Security Products Division of Siemens AG. 

The complete list of those in the top 10 spots are:

1.   Martin Gren, Co-founder, Axis Communications

2.   Dr Mahesh Saptharishi, CTO, Avigilon

3.   Joseph Grillo, CEO, Vanderbilt Industries;

4.   Benji Hutchison, senior director, NEC and Adjunct Professor at GMU; 

5.   Simon Banks, Group managing director, CSL;

6.   Adam Stroud, CEO, Paxton;

7.   Alf Goransson, President and CEO, Securitas AB;

8.   Keith Bloodworth, CEO, CNL Software;

9.   Lars Thinggaard, president & CEO, Milestone Systems

10. Jason Towse, MD, people services, Mitie TSM.



Product Suppliers
Back to top