The Middle East is a region that d&b audiotechnik has had its eye on for quite some time, and in recent years the German manufacturer has stepped up its interest with a series of new strategic partnerships aimed at increasing its presence in the territory. With the foundations now firmly in place, the company has taken the logical next step by formally opening its new regional subsidiary, d&b audiotechnik Middle East, headquartered in Dubai.
Heading up the operation is Brad Maiden, who joined the company as Vice President of Business Development and now assumes the role of General Manager with the formation of the new branch. “I’m delighted to be able to formally announce the official launch of d&b audiotechnik Middle East,” he told TPiMEA. “The launch of the new company has been a considered process. We were determined to ensure that everything was done properly to allow us to achieve our goals for the region, which include offering enhanced education and technical support, so we took our time and made sure that the foundations were strong.”
While he only joined the company in March 2023, Maiden has a long history of working with d&b audiotechnik, both inside and outside of the Middle East. “I had my own design consultancy specialising in entertainment venues where we worked closely with d&b on multiple projects, and prior to that I worked at the Sydney Opera House where we put J-Series in the Concert Hall, and later one of the first d&b Soundscape systems in the Joan Sutherland Theatre.,” he recalled, looking back on his relationship with the manufacturer. “So when d&b got in touch and presented the opportunity to lead their Middle East project, there was never a doubt in my mind.”
The early stage of Maiden’s remit was to lay the groundwork for the new Middle East subsidiary. “We looked to extend the partner network, form new partnerships, develop the market, and play to our traditional strengths to make the most of the outstanding opportunities in the region,” he stated.
The company has wasted no time in putting this plan into effect, with the onboarding of several new sales, rental and integration partners, complementing the regional representation of long-term d&b audiotechnik distributor, 7Hertz. “The market is expanding in a massive way – not just in the GCC, but also Egypt. So, it was never a doubt that we would look to expand the partner network,” Maiden explained. “It was all about building on the work that had been done, and adding complementary partners into the region. The focus was very much on expanding our reach and making sure that we’re in all the right places.”
The company now has four sales partners across the region – 7Hertz, ProVision AVL, Southby Middle East, and Egypt-based KAR – plus several integration and rental partners including AVI-SPL, Creative Technology and Quality AV in Egypt. “All the partners hit the ground running,” Maiden reported. “We are very happy with where we’re at, and there’s so much potential and opportunity to grow further.”
As well as GM Maiden, the Middle East team also includes regional industry veteran Kassim Salim, who was the Territory Manager for Bose before joining the team at d&b audiotechnik. Also onboard is Richard Fenton, who first worked with Maiden back in 2008 at Sydney Opera House. “Rich has come in as Senior Education Application Support, so he leads the education programmes, and supports clients with technical design and commissioning across the region,” Maiden highlighted.
Education is a crucial pillar of the company’s mission in the region. “With high-quality products such ours, the importance of training and education cannot be overstated. We must put in that extra effort to relay the products’ value proposition,” Maiden explained. “We run numerous training modules, from a technology-agnostic course on the fundamentals of electroacoustics to tutorials on using specific d&b products such as ArrayCalc, and d&b Soundscape sessions where users get the opportunity to familiarise themselves with how object-based mixing works.”
One such training course that was extremely well received recently was the result of a co-operation between d&b audiotechnik Middle East, Coca-Cola Arena and Creative Technology Middle East. “We were delighted to complete our first SL-Series training at Coca-Cola Arena, where we had a large-format KSL system and offered line array training for some of the region’s best FOH engineers,” Maiden recalled. “We had fantastic feedback and it’s certainly something we are looking to roll our regularly. The SL-series is our signature line array system, and I think fair to say that d&b’s longstanding commitment to broadband directivity control it has taken the world by storm, with three of the top four tours last year all using SL-series.”
On the topic of d&b Soundscape, Maiden is excited about the potential applications for the technology in the region. “It has endless potential,” he beamed. “The creative element to how people are using d&b Soundscape has taken on a life of its own. In some cases, it’s being used almost as its own instrument where people are really pushing the 360° nature of the system. d&b Soundscape is already in several venues across the region such as Dubai Opera, King Fahad Cultural Centre and AVI-SPL’s The Cave, in addition to the demonstration facilities at Provision AVL and 7Hertz, and with the region’s approach to innovation, technology and creativity, I’ve no doubt that demand will continue to grow.”
Taking a more global outlook, the GM is pleased to see d&b on the riders of some of the world’s top performers. “We’re seeing globally that d&b has really become the sound system of choice for many the world’s top artists,” he commented. “We’ve got some great bands such as Coldplay touring on d&b in the region in January – exactly the type of show the region needs to thrive. Our mission is for d&b to become the sound system of choice, synonymous with entertainment across the region.”
Looking ahead, Maiden is certain that the Middle East is set to go from strength to strength. “It’s an amazing region,” he concluded. “Some of the world’s leading entertainment infrastructure and live event projects are here, and we have the best people in the world designing them, working on them and providing services and supplying to them. These projects are always going to need the very best in audio. Sound gives emotion to an experience, and we are excited to be here to provide that emotional impact.”
Photos: d&b audiotechnik Middle East
