NMK Electronics Pioneers AV Innovation and Talent Development in the Middle East

Nicolas Cox, the Managing Director; and Costandino Drimakis, the Director for Strategic Development at NMK Electronics, speak about how NMK Electronics is transforming the Middle East’s AV landscape by delivering integrated, sustainable solutions and fostering local talent through initiatives like NMK Beyond.

How has the regional AV market evolved recently?
Costandino: The regional AV market has undergone a fundamental transformation in recent years. What was once a product-led industry, focused on displays, speakers, or microphones in isolation, has evolved into a solutions-driven ecosystem. End users are no longer satisfied with standalone technologies—they want integrated platforms that seamlessly bring together audio, video, control, and IT into one cohesive experience.
Saudi Arabia has been at the forefront of this change.

With Vision 2030 driving some of the world’s most ambitious cultural, entertainment, and infrastructure projects, there is unprecedented demand for immersive experiences and highly reliable, scalable systems. Every project, whether it’s a giga-development or a live venue, requires AV that integrates effortlessly with IT infrastructures and delivers consistent performance at scale.

Dubai continues to push the boundaries of smart city initiatives, where corporate, education, and hospitality sectors expect cutting-edge collaboration environments that are intelligent, intuitive, and future-ready. Similarly, Qatar has rapidly expanded its cultural and events landscape, with world-class museums, stadiums, and visitor attractions setting a new benchmark for tech deployment in the region.

Another significant shift has been in expectations around control. Clients now want unified command of their systems—where audio distribution, video streaming, lighting effects, and IT networks are managed centrally. This convergence of technologies is reducing complexity while improving efficiency, security, and long-term scalability.

Taken together, the evolution of the market shows a clear direction: the Middle East is not just adopting global AV trends, it is often setting them, with scale, ambition, and a demand for integrated technology solutions that few other regions in the world can match.

What AV trends are shaping the Middle East, and how are you responding?
Nicolas: One of the most defining trends in the Middle East is the shift towards fully integrated technology ecosystems. Clients are no longer thinking in silos of audio, video, or IT—they want environments where everything from communications, content distribution, control, lighting, automation, and monitoring systems works together seamlessly. The goal is a holistic digital environment that is reliable, scalable, and intuitive to manage.

Automation is a major driver within this integration. Whether it’s intelligent scheduling in a meeting room, automated lighting and audio presets in a cultural venue, or predictive monitoring across an enterprise network, automation is helping organizations simplify operations while enhancing the user experience.

Another key trend is the demand for immersive experiences. From entertainment and cultural mega-projects in Saudi Arabia to hospitality, retail, and corporate developments in Dubai and Qatar, the region is raising the bar on what AVLC can deliver. Spatial audio, large-scale LED, projection mapping, and interactive control are now becoming mainstream expectations.

Sustainability and efficiency also continue to grow in importance. Governments and clients are prioritizing technologies that deliver impact while reducing energy consumption, and this has accelerated the adoption of LED, smart lighting, and low-consumption projection systems.

Finally, AI-enabled intelligence is emerging as the backbone of many solutions. From audio processing and auto-framing cameras to predictive analytics in device management, AI is making systems more adaptive, secure, and user-friendly.

As NMK, we are responding by ensuring our portfolio brings these elements together. We focus on delivering not just the latest technologies but also the training, local expertise, and integration support needed to help clients and system integrators build solutions that are aligned with these trends and ready for the future. To stay ahead of the game, we have invested in building one of the region’s most capable technical departments, bringing together highly skilled and experienced talent who understand both global best practices and regional realities.

We’ve also invested in NMK Beyond, our next-generation experience center in Dubai. Beyond is more than a showroom—it’s a living hub where partners can experience real-world deployments, from immersive rooms with spatial audio and projection mapping to collaboration zones, training facilities, and a broadcast-ready studio. It’s a place where the industry can test, learn, and innovate, ensuring that NMK not only keeps pace with market trends but actively helps to shape them.

How have regulations and sustainability goals impacted your regional strategy?
Costandino: Sustainability is no longer a checkbox; it has become a key driver in project planning across the Middle East. Regulations across the GCC, from the UAE and Saudi Arabia to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, are all pushing for greener, smarter, and more energy-efficient systems.

This has influenced our strategy in two ways: first, by prioritizing solutions that reduce energy consumption, extend product life cycles, and minimize waste; and second, by working with our partners to ensure compliance with regional standards from the very beginning of each project.

Beyond products, we are also introducing initiatives such as a recycling program currently in progress, which helps reduce e-waste by giving technology a responsible end-of-life pathway. In addition, we are working on trade-in options, allowing clients to upgrade to more sustainable solutions while ensuring older equipment is repurposed or recycled responsibly.

For us, sustainability isn’t just about meeting regulations, it’s about enabling our clients to achieve long-term efficiency, reduce their environmental impact, and future-proof their investments.

What are you doing to support AV talent and youth development locally?
Nicolas: Talent development is one of our core priorities. The AV industry is growing rapidly across the GCC, and the biggest challenge for many projects isn’t just technology, it’s having the right skills to design, deploy, and manage these solutions. To address this, we’ve built a strong program of certified training sessions, hands-on workshops, and brand-led certifications that equip young professionals with the knowledge and experience they need.

To actively encourage youth to enter the industry, we’ve also started hosting competitions that spotlight creativity and technical skill. Recently, we organized the region’s first-ever Lighting Design Competition, supported by Chauvet Professional, which drew more than 50 entries from across the GCC and revealed a depth of talent that went far beyond our expectations. Building on that success, we are preparing a Q-SYS Control & Programming Challenge later this year to nurture the developer community and encourage the next generation of programmers to explore AVL control systems.

Additionally, experiences like Studio B and the Atrium at NMK Beyond are open to the public as spaces where creators, students, and young professionals can experiment, record, and experience industry-ready immersive technologies firsthand. They are designed to demystify professional AVLC tools and make them more accessible.
From a technology perspective, NMK Beyond is purpose-built to be an innovation and learning hub. The Atrium showcases immersive projection mapping powered by Epson, Chauvet Professional lighting rigs, and L-Acoustics’ L-ISA immersive audio for real-world performance experiences.

Studio B features a Dolby Atmos-certified environment for broadcast, podcasting, and content creation, while the training rooms provide hands-on exposure to networking, control, and collaboration platforms from leading global brands. These facilities allow young professionals and students to learn with the exact same technologies being deployed across giga-projects, cultural venues, and enterprises in the region.

By combining structured learning, open access, competitive platforms, and direct exposure to advanced technologies, we’re not only helping youth enter the industry but also building the next generation of AV leaders who can carry the region’s ambitious projects forward.