AI-powered physical security leader Verkada has officially planted its flag in the Middle East, announcing the establishment of a new Dubai office and the strategic appointment of Fred Crehan as Head of Middle East. This significant expansion underscores Verkada’s ongoing global growth trajectory, driven by the region’s booming urban development, ambitious infrastructure projects, and an escalating need for cutting-edge, cloud-based security solutions.
“The Middle East is experiencing rapid urban development, large-scale infrastructure projects, and a strong focus on security and innovation,” stated Eric Salava, Chief Revenue Officer at Verkada. He emphasized that Verkada’s integrated cloud-based platform perfectly aligns with the region’s future-forward ambitions. Salava lauded Crehan’s deep understanding of the local landscape and his proven track record in scaling high-growth businesses, positioning him as the ideal leader to introduce Verkada’s platform to this dynamic market.
Crehan brings over 25 years of extensive enterprise technology experience to his new role. Notably, he previously launched Confluent’s Dubai office and successfully cultivated a robust partner ecosystem, demonstrating a profound capability for regional market penetration and development.
Highlighting the region’s priorities, Fred Crehan remarked, “Safety is a top priority in the Middle East, driven by a commitment to world-class tourism and the rapid development of new urban centers.” He noted that as cloud adoption accelerates, organizations are increasingly seeking modern solutions to overcome traditional resource constraints. Crehan believes Verkada’s platform is uniquely positioned to serve a diverse range of sectors, including government, hospitality, retail, logistics providers, as well as the rapidly expanding construction and real estate industries.
While Verkada already supports global clients with operations in the Middle East, the opening of the Dubai office marks the company’s first dedicated regional presence. This move signals a significant commitment, with Verkada planning to grow its Middle East team, initially focusing on key sales engineering and leadership roles to bolster its regional capabilities.
This international expansion follows a substantial investment from CapitalG, Alphabet’s independent growth fund, which recently valued Verkada at an impressive $5.8 billion. This capital injection is set to accelerate Verkada’s AI innovation and further support its rapidly expanding base of over 30,000 customers worldwide.