Salam Media Cast Appoints Niels Thomas To Head Its New European Headquarters

Salam Media Cast UK, the first of a number of offices Salam Media Cast (SMC) plans to open in new geographic locations, is headed by Niels Thomas, formerly Head of Sales for North Europe at Sony Professional Solutions Europe. Thomas has an impressive track record in the broadcast and media industries having previously worked for companies such as Omneon, Thomson and Grass Valley. As Managing Director of Salam Media Cast UK, he will use his extensive contacts and professional reputation to develop new business opportunities and strengthen existing customer relationships.

“SMC’s expansion into Europe will enable the company to engage more thoroughly with its international customers by providing much closer cooperation and ensuring tighter control of project timelines and costs,” Niels Thomas says. “SMC has always been a client-focused company and I am looking forward to helping our valued customers achieve their goals and ambitions through a thorough understanding of their objectives so that we can create the best solutions for their needs.”

Based in Doha, Qatar, SMC has over 35 years’ experience of systems integration in the Gulf region and an enviable reputation for delivering innovative workflows that benefit customer specific requirements. It represents many worldwide manufacturers such as Avid Technology, Quantel, SeaChange, Leitch, Drake Electronics, Vinten Broadcast Ltd., Strand Lighting, Telestream, Vizrt and EVS Broadcasting. It also serves TV channels and networks, movie studios and network operators in the region, providing telecommunications, broadcasting, integrated systems and state-of-the-art security.

In 2010, SMC joined GSSG Holdings as part of its Media Group, with offices in Qatar, UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. More recently, the company has been expanding its team by acquiring local and international talent and diversifying its activities to reflect the technological changes that are taking place within the broadcast and media industries. This shift in focus, which includes forming innovative partnerships with new media companies such as multiscreen systems integrator Visual Unity, is enabling SMC to enter new markets and develop its business in the burgeoning multiscreen environment. It is also introducing new services such as Salam Media Cast Support, a cost effective service that is designed to help customers deal with their day to day maintenance requirements and simplify the management of multi-vendor hardware and software to ensure that systems operate at peak performance.

“SMC is changing,” says CEO Paul Hennessy. “We are acquiring world class skills and capabilities to provide a genuine distinction amongst our peers in the industry. SMC’s vision is to be the leading international media systems integrator and we are achieving this by building meaningful relationships with our customers that are based on in-depth knowledge of their technical and business requirements.”

Salam Media Cast is active in numerous business areas, from equipping professional television stations, studios, master control rooms and newsrooms to providing light and sound technology for concert stages and theatres and equipping whole multivendor environments. The solutions it provides include safeguarding national security in government operations, creating the best venues for education in museums and classrooms, enhancing sports environments, revolutionizing health facilities and delivering state-of-the-art satellite telecommunications facilities.

About Ghanim bin Saad Al Saad & Sons Group Holdings
Ghanim bin Saad Al Saad & Sons Group Holdings (GSSG) was founded by Ghanim bin Saad Al Saad in 1993 and incorporated in 2007. Today it is one of Qatar’s most successful private sector business groups, making a major contribution to the country’s economic growth.GSSG has enjoyed steady growth and success in many fields and industries locally and international. GSSG’s diverse portfolio gives it strength and enables its companies within the group to maximise global business opportunities wherever and whenever they arise.The founder, Mr. Ghanim bin Saad al Saad, has enabled the group to grow to over 40 companies around the world.  As an inspirational business leader, he has steered the group to achieve its success in industries that include aviation, maritime, automobiles, oil & gas, real estate, manufacturing, contracting and trading, finance & asset management, engineering, education, fitness, hotels, hospitality and fashion, information technology and telecommunications.  In addition to its corporate headquarters in Doha, GSSG also has five international offices located in London, Zurich, Cairo, Singapore and Dubai.

Salam Media Cast (SMC)
Salam Media Cast is a proven Media Broadcast and Communications Technologies solutions provider, serving the Media, Telecommunications, Security, Education, Hospitality and advertising industries in the Gulf region for nearly 40 years.  In 2010, SMC joined GSSG Holdings as part of its Media Group, with offices in Qatar, UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. Salam Media Cast pioneers not only in equipping professional television stations and studios, master control rooms, newsrooms, concert stages and theatres providing light and sound technology, but also equips  whole multivendor environments.  SMC provides solutions from safeguarding national security such as in government operations, creating the best venues for education such as museums and classrooms, enhancing sports environments and revolutionizing health facilities and satellite telecommunications. To support the workflow and innovation demands of our valued customers, we have recently expanded our team with new local and international talent. We use our expertise to help realise your goals and ambitions – we listen, advise, design and build great workflows that work for you. Our ambition is to be your trusted partner in the Gulf region.