Simon Ward is an experienced sales professional in the building automation market. He has extensive experience of the installation and use of room controls as well as technical knowledge of advanced building automation in commercial buildings such as offices, hotels and apartments. He started his career at Distech Controls in 2015 and has built a successful sales team in the UK, positioning Distech Controls as a tier 1 vendor in the UK and Irish markets.
How did you become involved in the Smart Buildings industry?
Nobody ever leaves school with a clear goal to join the Controls Industry, so I guess it was a natural progression from Building Controls to Smart Buildings. Having always been interested in the technology surrounding our market, I joined the then TAC because they had the latest LON technology (at the time). Through acquisition and technology progression and 15 years spent working within the Schneider brand I became exposed to BACnet and many other open technologies, but the game changer was when I joined Distech Controls, where the flexibility and embedded innovation of their product line, for me was industry changing, and it continues to be the case today.
What excites you about the Smart Buildings industry?
Two things: the technology and how it is deployed and the talented people that drive this industry.
Are there any particular technologies that we should be aware of?
For me particularly, it’s all about IOT, MQTT allows us to send messages between platforms in a standard format, UDMI gives us a platform for labelling and utilising data in a common format and Containerisation, giving the ability to run multiple applications on a single device, in a separate instance, but allowing access to data within the container, this to me is a superb piece of technology and will revolutionise the way we integrate complex systems.
What services does your organisation offer?
Distech Controls are a product manufacturer supporting directly the System Integrator Network globally. Openness is in our DNA, and we provide hardware and software solutions connecting Edge with Cloud. From sales to business development and technology support we provide an all-encompassing service to our customers.
Are people aware of the regulations that they will need to comply with in the near future?
In reality, I think the market is aware of the upcoming regulation, however I think the market is slow to act, with end users watching what other organisations may do and waiting for the final legislation to come into effect. Saying that I do see organisations that are starting to acquire and analyse data now so that they can view the potential financial impact down the line.
What are the benefits of a smart building?
The benefits of Smart Buildings are well publicised, but I view them as 1. Improved Energy Efficiency 2. Better Operational Efficiency 3. Enhanced Occupant Experience 4. Better Security and Safety 5. Cost Savings 6. Richer Data Acquisition 7. Integration Capability 8. Scalability.
Who has been the biggest influence in your career?
In my early career I had the pleasure of engaging with a renowned Australian motivational speaker Sergio Carla Maresca, who helped shape me into the person I am today. Aligned with my professional life, Sergio helped me recognise and contain my work/life balance.
What is the question you are most often asked in your business life?
It probably is, so how did you get into building controls, and as I have said elsewhere in this piece, it’s not something you leave school with a desire to join this industry. It’s also the question I ask most, as I love to hear about people’s professional journey within the industry.
What are the best/worst things about your job?
The best thing about my job is working every day with a UK team that has grown a business from the ground up to become a true market disruptor, supported by a global organisation that share our common goals and values. In recent years this has resulted in huge success for our business in brand awareness and market growth.
The worst thing about the job is:
I think the thing that frustrates me most about the industry, is that it is ageing fast and we do not publicise enough what a great industry this is to work in, so do not attract young blood. Also, the speed of change to adopt to new or to change technologies is very slow, and I guess that’s because we have a ‘mature’ workforce that has always done things a certain way.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry?
I wouldn’t hesitate to encourage anyone to jump in with both feet. I am 30 years deep in this industry and still wake up every morning looking forward to the day ahead (whilst being thankful I made it through the night!) Embrace the technology and begin the journey – you will not regret it.
What living person do you admire and why?
Peter Jones, one of the original dragons from Dragons Den. I admire Peter because of the tenacity he has demonstrated throughout his varied business career, a real-life rags to riches story.
Where would you most like to live?
Currently I live on the outskirts of the West Midlands in a fairly dense conurbation but can be in glorious countryside within 5 minutes. Long term I would like to relocate to a more rural village/town with a slower pace, better social values and more space, somewhere like the Cotswolds.
What is your favourite book?
I don’t really have a favourite book, as my tastes are varied regarding literature. I do enjoy a good war story, gangster tale and sometimes a little science fiction.
How do you relax?
With two dogs and a cat, and a loving partner who lets me ride motorbikes – what more could I ask for? I enjoy some quiet time too listening to music (of which I have a very wide taste) and reading, you can’t beat a good real crime story.
What sports team do you support?
From my birthplace, the nearest team was West Bromwich Albion for football, but I am a great supporter of grass root sports, particularly rugby, so my local team Sutton Coldfield Rugby Club.
What is your desert island disk?
Quadrophenia by The Who – a timeless classic in my eyes.