Exclusive Interview with Fadi Costantine, Sales Manager – Business Communication, Middle East at Sennheiser

Sennheiser has leveraged its role in shaping professional audio to build strong hybrid communication products for use across business and education environments. We caught up with Fadi Costantine, Sales Manager – Business Communication, Middle East at Sennheiser, to discuss the brand’s presence at the show, its integrated product ecosystem, and the growing importance of software-driven audio solutions.

What are your most innovative products currently serving the business and education sectors?

Sennheiser operates across several business units, with Business Communication being one of our most important. This unit is entirely dedicated to the installation market, where many of our most dynamic and innovative solutions are positioned.

Professional audio is at the core of Sennheiser’s brand identity. Through our ownership of renowned brands such as Neumann and Merging Technologies, we have established ourselves as a global leader in audio communications. We leverage this expertise to develop advanced meeting and conferencing solutions that enhance business performance.

Crucially, our products are not designed to operate in isolation. They are engineered to work together as a unified ecosystem, enabling seamless communication across devices and platforms. This ecosystem approach allows system integrators and end users to design complete, end-to-end audio solutions tailored to a wide range of applications and project requirements.

Which industry verticals are currently driving demand for these solutions in the region?

While we are active across multiple verticals in the region, we have a clear strategic commitment to deliver innovative, scalable, and future‑ready audio solutions tailored specifically for the needs of higher education and the modern corporate environment.

In corporate environments, our microphone solutions are widely deployed in meeting rooms to support modern collaboration and video conferencing scenarios. In the education sector, our technologies are extensively used in lecture halls and hybrid learning environments, including classrooms and auditoriums designed to accommodate both in-person and remote participants.

A strong example is our ceiling microphone solutions. These are frequently used not only in traditional meeting rooms but also in lecture halls for audio capture, video conferencing, and recording. They are also ideal for voice-lift applications, enabling students to hear the lecturer clearly without the need for wearable microphones. This creates a more natural, seamless teaching experience while minimizing complexity for the user.

Software and integration are critical in these environments. How does Sennheiser support this alongside its hardware solutions?

Workflow optimization has always been central to our product strategy and will remain a key focus going forward.

Introducing a new era in AV Management, at ISE 2026, Sennheiser will officially launch DeviceHub, a secure, cloud-based platform designed for IT and AV managers, as well as system integrators. DeviceHub centralizes device visibility and remote management, streamlining workflows across enterprise, education, and corporate settings.

DeviceHub provides real-time insights, simplified setup, and unified control, supporting organizations in creating better spaces for communication, learning, and teamwork. Following a successful private beta, ISE marks the transition to public availability. Visitors can explore DeviceHub’s capabilities and speak directly with product experts about how it can transform their AV and IT operations.

Exclusive Interview with Aseem Puri, CEO, Unilever International

• How is Unilever International using data and analytics to bring underserved and overlooked consumer groups into the center of your decision-making?

Many of the consumers we serve are invisible to conventional market structures, which are usually built around large, well-measured countries and mainstream shoppers. At Unilever International, we have turned that around by defining “underserved consumers” as our starting point: immigrants, global aspirers, and consumers in SMILE (small, island, landlocked, extreme) markets, who are often overlooked by traditional business models – and our business approach is specifically designed around these consumers.

Data analytics is central to our operations. We pull information from SAP, Salesforce and other operational systems into a single digital backbone, so shipment flows, customer orders, distributor stock and sales performance are visible in one real-time view across business functions. Alongside this, we use digital and social listening tools to understand what specific communities are searching for, watching and discussing, and we route those insights directly into innovation, portfolio and media decisions.

That is how we picked up emerging home-care rituals in Korea which inspired the Snuggle room spray and indoor dry range, now accounting for roughly 10% of the country’s fabric softener market. The same logic applies to partnerships: our role in building the ICC women’s cricket platform for brands such as Rexona and Dove was based on data on women’s sports viewership, participation and fandom, particularly in markets like India and the UAE. In this way, our investments are tied to real participation for girls and women and to growth in whitespace markets, not just to media reach.

• Diaspora consumers behave like distinct micro-markets with their own preferences. How are you using predictive modeling to anticipate their needs before they emerge?

For Unilever International, diaspora consumers are not a marginal audience; they are one of our largest growth engines. We serve more than 500 million diasporas across 40 SMILE markets, with a strong presence in the Gulf. We treat each major diaspora as a micro-market, with its own set of preferred brands, formats and seasonal or festive peaks.

Our predictive models combine migration trends, remittance flows where these are available, historic consumption patterns, and digital search and social signals to forecast how, when and where demand is likely to appear. As a result, we do not wait for an out-of-stock alert before acting.

For brands such as Bru, Lady’s Choice and Rafhan, we use forward-looking algorithms to shape assortment and route-to-market for South Asian and Middle Eastern communities in hubs such as the UAE, the UK and Australia.

From the shopper’s perspective, the benefit is simple. When they arrive in Dubai or London, the brands and pack sizes they recognise from home are already available in store or online, such as Ramadan, Diwali or Eid, because our models have anticipated those peaks rather than reacting after the seasons.

• Digital integration and data sharing are becoming standard across retailers and e-commerce platforms. How have these partnerships evolved for Unilever International in the UAE?

In the UAE, we have purposefully moved our relationships with retailers and e-commerce platforms away from purely transactional interactions towards shared value creation. By integrating sell-in and sell-out data feeds into our digital systems, we can see, almost in real time, how diaspora and expatriate shoppers are buying across modern trade and online channels.

This shared visibility allows us to co-create category strategies with key partners. Together, we tailor shelf layouts for Indian, Filipino or African shoppers in specific catchment areas, align promotional calendars to their festive occasions, and optimise e-commerce cut-off times so that late-night orders can still arrive the following day. Data sharing help both parties to reduce waste, avoid duplicated inventory and execute innovations with much shorter and more reliable launch windows.

Our role in brokering platforms such as ICC women’s cricket, announced at a festival in Dubai, also gives our customers access to high-energy brand properties. We then activate these jointly across stores, e-commerce and social channels in the Gulf. This creates a closed loop between data, media and execution that is grounded in the lived experience of UAE consumers, rather than driven solely by internal planning cycles.

• AI adoption is accelerating across supply chains and consumer insights. How is Unilever International using AI to create real value for underserved consumers while enabling faster, smarter growth?

We see AI as a strategic teammate that extends the capability of our people rather than replacing them. Our AI Hub in Singapore co-ordinates how tools are deployed across demand sensing, supply chain and marketing, and human resources. We are moving from isolated experiments to integrated systems that connect marketing, supply chain, finance and resourcing data so that decisions can be made jointly and in real time.

For underserved consumers, the impact is very tangible. AI-driven demand sensing and container optimisation help us keep shelves stocked and navigate complex routes without relying on a single corridor, even when there are disruptions such as the Red Sea crisis. AI-powered social listening highlights niche behaviours, for example Koreans using fabric fresheners as room sprays or searching for indoor drying solutions. These insights led to new Snuggle formats tailored to local needs, which gained share quickly.

We also have a documentation centre of excellence to manage end-to-end paperwork for new and existing product entries. We have partnered with a tech startup to develop an AI-optical character reading programme that supports import and export processes, and optimises container loads with 100% accuracy.

All AI activity is guided by Unilever’s Responsible AI Policy, which requires transparency, human oversight and the ability to challenge decisions in every use case. This balance between speed and responsibility allows us to unlock growth without compromising trust.

• In many emerging markets, data is often limited or incomplete. How do you build a reliable, tech-enabled decision-making system in these environments to ensure accuracy and speed?

Many of the countries we serve, including small islands, landlocked states and conflict-affected territories, do not generate the rich, structured data sets that larger markets enjoy. Instead of waiting for perfect information, Unilever International has built a “good enough to act” decision system that deliberately combines different sources of insight.

We integrate shipment data from our SAP backbone, distributor sell-out data where it can be secured, digital shelf and pricing information, and social listening. We complement this with qualitative insight from local teams, NGOs and institutional partners. In SMILE markets such as rural Laos or East Timor, we overlay container-level visibility so that we can see precisely where goods are located, how long customs processes are taking and where real bottlenecks are forming.

AI-enabled tools help us to close the gaps. We use proxy indicators to forecast demand and plan scenarios to test potential price and promotion moves. Human judgement, particularly from local partners, remains central. Our digital backbone ensures that decisions are fast, repeatable and auditable, even in highly challenging environments.

• Leading a tech-driven organization requires both vision and adaptability. What personal leadership principle has shaped the way you guide Unilever International through digital transformation and fast-moving markets?

The principle that has influenced my leadership most is empathy combined with decisive action. Unilever International delivers products to nearly every country in the world, barring sanction markets, which means our teams work across a wide range of cultures, regulatory environments and infrastructure conditions. If I do not genuinely understand what motivates colleagues, customers and consumers on the ground, even the strongest digital strategy remains abstract.

At the same time, I believe in empowering our teams to experiment and fail forward. This mindset, supported by data and AI, allowed us, for example, to build a direct-to-consumer platform in 100 days and to scale collaborations such as the IHG bulk-amenities partnership, which removes hundreds of tonnes of single-use plastic annually while giving travellers an improved yet sustainable Dove experience.

We embed this way of working through our “digital identity” approach, where leaders explicitly carry digital responsibilities within their titles and objectives. This makes it clear that technology, AI and data are not the concern of a separate specialist team. They are part of how every leader at Unilever International serves underserved consumers and grows the business with both speed and responsibility.

Answers attributed to Gustavo Gassmann, Vice President and Head of Emerging Markets at HID

Gustavo Gassmann, Vice President and Head of Emerging Markets at HID, shares his perspective on how rapid digital transformation is redefining access control and identity solutions across the Middle East.

Q: What is driving the shift towards mobile access infrastructure in the region?
A: Digital transformation is happening globally, but in the Middle East it has been adopted at a very advanced pace. Mobile access supports this shift by combining convenience with strong security. People here already use apps and digital wallets for payments, public transport, and daily activities. Introducing mobile access into physical security is a natural extension of that behavior. It delivers convenience while maintaining security through a device people already carry with them.

Q: Do you always prioritize the customer perspective, especially end users?
A: Absolutely. While our partners play a critical role, the solutions we create are ultimately for individuals. Our focus is on ensuring people feel confident, supported, and secure as technology and infrastructure continue to evolve.

Q: How does integration with Apple Wallet and Google Wallet add value?
A: We are leveraging a device that people already depend on for photography, communication, banking, and payments. Using that same familiar device to securely access offices or restricted areas removes friction. There is no need to learn a new system or carry additional credentials. The experience is intuitive, familiar, and secure, which significantly increases adoption and usability.

Q: Why is multi-technology support essential for scalability?
A: Many of our customers have been with us for decades, and technology naturally evolves over time. Physical access control includes doors, gates, and complex infrastructure, which cannot be replaced overnight. Large organizations may manage multiple buildings and tens of thousands of employees, so upgrades often take place gradually over months or years. Multi-technology support allows new solutions to be deployed while existing systems continue to operate. It also addresses different needs across locations. In some environments, carrying credentials may not be ideal, and facial recognition becomes a better option. Since everyone already has their face with them, it offers a highly convenient and seamless access experience.

Q: Which industries are leading the adoption of advanced identity solutions in the Middle East?

A: The financial sector is at the forefront, including banks and insurance companies, where security is the highest priority. Concerns around cybersecurity are driving strong interest in advanced technologies, making this a key vertical for us.
Corporate real estate is another major driver, especially given the rapid development of new buildings across the region. We also see significant demand from manufacturing, oil and gas, airports, and any environment with complex and high-security requirements. These are areas where our solutions deliver the greatest value.

Q: How is HID supporting smart cities across the region?

A: Our focus is on building a strong ecosystem. We provide technologies that support universities, hospitals, metros, airports, and government entities. While each sector has its own requirements, they are all connected through the same underlying technology. The real value comes not just from individual solutions, but from an integrated ecosystem of technologies and partners working together.

Q: What message would HID like to share with Intersec 2026 attendees?
A: First, Intersec is a vital platform for connecting with end users, technology partners, and even competitors, which is extremely valuable for the industry.

Second, technology continues to evolve, and we encourage engagement with companies that have innovation and forward-thinking embedded in their DNA.
Finally, we would like to thank the Intersec organizers and the market itself. The region has contributed significantly to our growth, and we are proud to be deeply involved here. We remain committed to supporting the market and are confident that this strong growth trajectory will continue.