AXIS : global market leadership and shared values
Cover story of November – Dicember S News issue, Monica Bertolo's interview to Bodil Sonesson, Vicepresident Global Sales, Axis Communications.
Ms. Sonesson, Axis has had the video surveillance market leadership for many years. IHS shows important data: what stays behind these figures, which are the values that lead Axis to these goals?
Axis Communications’ overall strategy is to drive the video surveillance market through the continuous innovative solutions development.
A goal that becomes real thanks to a strategic action plan based on 3 pillars: global market leadership, with continued expansion in new markets and boosted presence in the existing ones; long term partner cooperation based on loyalty, scalability and competence exchange, with a win-win process and strong shared values like business ethic; continued release of new, innovativeproducts and solutions able to positively influence the market and to identify the future market, creating a smarter and safer world –always keeping in mind our business’ sustainability, that is another value that makes Axis Communications unique.
Recently we heard about an important social commitment: I refer to your support to FAI in Italy, or other actions that Axis took around the world. Maybe this happens because there are many women working at Axis, and consequently a higher attention toward other themes than the technical ones?
Social commitment is another Axis’ strong value shared by its entire. Supporting FAI is another example of sustainable business, together with many others social responsibility activities we do all over the world, like all the initiatives targeted towards children and young people, or pensioner assistance and local charity initiatives.
Of course women at Axis have an important role in these choices, openness is an inherent part of our corporate culture, and gender diversity a natural part of that culture and I believe that to boost the number of women in security-industry leadership positions, this issue must constantly stay on the table.
Today, the Axis regional executive team consists of 40 percent women, which is high compared to the industry average.
By promoting women internally, Axis sets a leading example for other companies so that they, in turn, can promote women to leading global positions – including important operational positions
such as global sales.
Another aspect characterizing Axis from its beginning is the R&D. Some time ago Martin Green told me about the high number of ‘brains’ working at Axis, far more significant, for him, than the number of cameras produced.
R&D has always been a strategic area at Axis Communications in order to maintain its market leader position.
Axis has developed a broad knowledge base through many years’ experience and has built up a high level of expertise within network video. About 630 people work in this area to develop the technology platforms and products of the future.
The products are based on open systems, which means that they may be easily integrated into other security solutions and that software from partners may be added.
For many yearsbetween 12 and 15 percent of consolidated sales were invested in research and development in both hardware and software: this really shows how much we care for R&D.
Speaking about segments Axis shows a clear vision: I think about your Banking, Retail, Urban security, … how are their needs and security requests going to evolve?
AXIS has identified nine end customer segments for the purpose of offering attractive solutions with the right functionality for specific needs.
It is a matter of building internal competencies not only to meet the needs of today, but also to drive demand and develop end customer needs, developing products moreand more innovative.
Axis has dedicated sales and development teams that focus on individual customersegment, as in general video surveillance is more and more considered as a useful investment from end usersthat understand the benefit coming from the IP technology, as we can see also from the even biggerpresence of video analytics applications that can contribute to enhance company’s efficiency and business.
by Monica Bertolo
