Genetec APAC MD Daniel Lee on the 'Fit-for-Purpose' strategy driving regional growth

Compared to other regions around the globe, APAC is no doubt the most complex one. Despite being grouped together, the APAC region is not uniform and this requires vendors to navigate market complexity with agility.
 
During a recent discussion with asmag.com in Singapore, Daniel Lee, Managing Director for APAC at Genetec, offered a comprehensive look at the region’s high-velocity growth and outlined a strategy committed to customer needs: "fit for purpose." We discussed the business environment for commercial security, and how it is impacted by technology innovation.
 

ASEAN emerges as the sweet spot

Lee summarized Genetec's 2025 performance in the region has been "amazing," driven by a strong team effort that resulted in over double-digit growth across Asia Pacific. This growth is fueled equally by nurturing existing customer relationships - which provide critical feedback for product evolution - and acquiring new clients.
 
Geographically, Lee pinpointed the ASEAN region as the current "sweet spot," benefiting from global trade realignments that have seen certain manufacturing and logistics capabilities shift into Southeast Asian countries. Australia and New Zealand remain steady markets, while India continues its long-term expansion.
 
From a vertical perspective, Lee noted growth in 3 key verticals that reflect global macroeconomic trends:

• Data Centers: Driven by the AI boom.
• Smart Manufacturing: Experiencing a regional shift and FDI in ASEAN countries, demanding sophisticated, high-security systems.
• Financial Institutions: Planning systematic, phased migrations toward digital platforms.

 

The cloud question: What do users really need?

When discussing the migration to the cloud, Lee prefers not to focus on simple classification of a system as on-premises or cloud, explaining that a true "hybrid" environment is less about merging two systems and more about offering a "matter of choice" for the customer.
 

Cloud in APAC: A Fit-for-Purpose approach, not a binary choice

Lee reinforced the 'fit-for-purpose' philosophy by addressing the nuanced approach required for different sectors. Environments that have cybersecurity and proprietary technology concerns like government sector or high-end, sensitive semiconductor and chipset manufacturers remain heavily on-premises. “The reality is,” Lee stated, “if the data center is built just primarily for government agency, it must be on prem. There's no way they're going to go to cloud for many good reasons.” The same is true for environments where cloud latency makes operation less efficient (e.g. public transportation and train systems).
 
However, for distributed networks like retail, cloud adoption is rapid. These sectors prioritize simplicity, rapid deployment, and risk complexity transfer, making the cloud model an ideal match. “If you have hundreds or even thousands of sites in the case of retailer like convenience stores, you don’t need to go and service them one by one, everything is in one place, and if something breaks, it’s the responsibility of the data center operator to get it back online as fast as possible” explained Lee.
 

Partnership and the single-platform advantage

Technologically, Lee asserted a key differentiator: Genetec provides a truly unified platform where operators can manage both cloud and on-premises deployments through one interface. This approach removes complexity, minimizes training requirements, and ensures customers protect their legacy investments while adopting cloud services.
 
Commercially, migration to the cloud will also bring with it changes in business model. From one-time revenue to recurring monthly revenue. Lee acknowledged the inherent commercial risk for SIs - who traditionally rely on installation revenue - as the cloud reduces their role to a simple installer. However, Genetec’s solution is to elevate the channel’s value proposition.
 
“Your value is no longer installing the cameras,” Lee advised partners. Instead, their role must evolve into that of a consultant focused on change management, understanding the customer's overall business problem, and designing a cohesive, hybrid solution that integrates existing investments. “The SI has to evolve and bring their value into it, more than just an installation.”
 

Beyond security: The rise of intelligent automation

Looking ahead, Lee believes the industry’s next major disruptive force will not be a singular product but a strategic shift in how data is utilized. He sees physical security elevating its position within the enterprise by delivering value beyond protecting assets and people.
 
“Every project that I go on to, they always say they have no money... then we talk about the business intelligence they can get up with the operation efficiency. Suddenly they see money.”
 
This operational efficiency and business intelligence is the foundation for the "next big thing" in security, Intelligent Automation.
 
“This Intelligent Automation is going to increase the power to support human decision. All decisions are made by human but it's going to help us to make good human decision,” he concluded. This concept leverages federating data from separate siloed systems to simplify complex operations, save on human resources, and ultimately grant physical security directors a critical seat at the management table.
 

The importance of channel partners  

Ultimately, Lee's vision for Genetec's growth in the APAC theater is fundamentally rooted in the company’s core DNA: ethical conduct and selective, long-term channel partnership. By empowering the right partners to embrace change management and deliver highly customized solutions Genetec is ensuring its ecosystem remains capable of addressing the demands of the region’s security environments, securing a long-term competitive advantage in the process.