Hikvision Employee 'Very Happy' To Join Vicon

JH
John Honovich
Sep 11, 2017
IPVM

Presented without comment.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Sep 11, 2017

Are they still trading under a dollar?

JH
John Honovich
Sep 11, 2017
IPVM

Yes, 41 cents as of today:

They have struggled for a long time, most recently, Ex Milestone Exec Fullerton Out As Vicon CEO.

In terms of hiring, they recently hired back Fred Walberg, who was also from Milestone, came on with Fullerton, then left and now came back. So that's a good sign given their challenging circumstances.

(2)
UE
Undisclosed End User #2
Sep 11, 2017

Why did he leave Hikvision? You rarely know why someone leaves one job for another, especially when it's the same title and area. Maybe Benjamin can share if has an IPVM membership or can borrow a log-in like a Hikvision security system expert would.  

After seeing this post, I had to research Vicon. Lately I've been pondering just how many IP video camera companies are needed and can survive? Everything I need I can find in the product lines of two or three companies.    

(1)
JH
John Honovich
Sep 12, 2017
IPVM

Why did he leave Hikvision?

I sent Benjamin a message on LinkedIn letting him know of this post. I am not sure if he is willing or able to talk about that but we will see.

In general, though, selling Hikvision to the enterprise is a hard job. Hikvision SMB sales people can at least call dealers up and say "Hey, another sale today!" and get happy responses. Enterprises don't care about flash sales but do care about cyber security and, in the US, many enterprise care about Hikvision's Chinese government ownership.

(4)
U
Undisclosed #3
Sep 11, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Related: Ben Kirk pitches Stardot's MCLDC on IPVM.

(1)
UE
Undisclosed End User #2
Sep 11, 2017

Ben has a history of being excited!!

(1)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #4
Sep 11, 2017

We all love to be excited from time to time! So he's a lucky guy! 

Seriously, Sales people switch jobs so quickly, why is it worth mentioning? 

(2)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #5
Sep 12, 2017

Maybe because Mr. Kirk is jumping from a successful (at borrowing money from the government) company with cyber security issues to another company with such low market presence that any cybersecurity issues would not even make a blip on the radar?  These companies really are polar opposites.  The desire to jump off the ship steaming toward an iceberg onto another that is already taking on water is interesting.  The culture is likely to be entirely different.  Still, I cannot fault someone for moving from Hikvision Enterprise sales.

(1)
U
Undisclosed #3
Sep 12, 2017
IPVMU Certified

...to another company with such low market presence that any cybersecurity issues would not even make a blip on the radar?

Sadly, Vicon can't even get arrested these days ;)

(1)
(3)
Avatar
Tony Lagan
Sep 13, 2017

Well he is hardly going to say that he is dreading the thought of going there now isn't he.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #4
Sep 13, 2017

I know a Hikvision sales guy who feared that his name will be burned in the industry by working for Hikvision. He feared that he will be doomed to work for Chinese companies for the rest oh his life.

So, this is a good news for him ☺️

(1)
Avatar
Tim Pickles
Sep 18, 2017
Direct Security

And this is today's ground breaking news from IPVM? He could have left because he failed to meet targets, poor absentee record, relocation, more money or a million other reasons. As for Vicon......well, lets leave it there shall we?

 

John - how about a story about the Sales Director at Mayflex (Avigilon distributor) jumping ship after 6 years to become Hikvision UK & Ireland Sales Director. I can only guess at why this has gone under the radar?

(1)
JH
John Honovich
Sep 18, 2017
IPVM

how about a story about the Sales Director at Mayflex (Avigilon distributor) jumping ship after 6 years to become Hikvision UK & Ireland Sales Director. I can only guess at why this has gone under the radar?

First of all, this short discussion item (one of 50+ in the last week) is not a 'story' or claim to be 'ground breaking news'. It is one thing I saw and posted.

Secondly, I don't know the Hikvision UK people. We do know the Hikvision North American people well, e.g., Hikvision USA Hires VP of Business Development

Third, why don't you start a discussion if you think it's so interesting? Any member is free to start a discussion.

(1)
Avatar
Tim Pickles
Sep 18, 2017
Direct Security

The point isn't what interesting John, its what NOT interesting - which is exactly what this thread is.

Many of your comments are generalized to Hikvision and not qualified to US Hikvision. Perhaps the customer experience and reality is somewhat different from different sides of the Atlantic, so given your global membership base - perhaps a view from outside of the US may be worthy of your time and thoughts.

Your "discussion item" just adds to the pile of anti-Hikvision material posted on IPVM.

As soon as anyone challenges it - the IPVM machine kicks in and into attack mode. So no John, its not up to me to write articles to balance your distorted coverage. It's up to you (as that's what I'm paying for) to deliver balanced news, testing and comment rather than your own personal vendetta. 

Other online security news desks have covered it John, so if a low grade salesman jumping ship makes an article for IPVM, why not a high level Director appointment in Hiks favour? Just continues the imbalance of IPVM reporting....

Hikvision Appoint New Sales Director

Gary Harmer Appointed By Hikvision

(1)
(2)
JH
John Honovich
Sep 18, 2017
IPVM

perhaps a view from outside of the US may be worthy of your time and thoughts.

See, for example, Hikvision Europe Cutting Out Unauthorized End User Sales. We were the only publication to report on that.

Other online security news desks have covered it [UK new sales director]

No, they did not 'cover' it. They re-ran Hikvision's UK press release. We don't run press releases for anyone.

We are finishing up a major new report on Hikvision that I am sure you will find interesting. We can surely discuss more in the comments of that post.

Avatar
Tim Pickles
Sep 18, 2017
Direct Security

So why not run a story and what, in the US, would be considered a newsworthy appointment? It's surely more newsworthy than a low level salesman job move? So take the fact away from the press release and just report the facts - because funny as it may seem, a Director of Mayflex (Avigilon main distributor) jumping to Sales Director of Hikvision is important to some of your paying membership - even if it's not important to IPVM.

It's interesting how you don't consider the Vicon statement as a Press Release, because that's how it read to me.

(3)
JH
John Honovich
Sep 18, 2017
IPVM

This is not a 'story'.

IPVM has 2 basic types of content: articles and discussions.

Articles are things that we do original research and reporting on. 

Discussions are short questions or observations that anyone, IPVM or members, can post. This was a discussion. It primarily was referencing the irony that someone could leave Hikvision and be very happy going to Vicon.

We are not doing an article on this employee. We are not doing an article on the Hikvision UK Sales director.

Now, I am going to return to finalizing the Hikvision test report that has far more importance to our membership generally.

(2)
New discussion

Ask questions and get answers to your physical security questions from IPVM team members and fellow subscribers.

Newest discussions