In this episode of Beyond the Tech, Dan Drogman sits down with Dominic Bruning, Director of Strategic Alliances (Mobile) at HID, recorded at PropTech Connect Dubai. Because Smart Spaces and HID are partners, the format flips halfway through — instead of Dan running the interview solo, Dom turns the questions back on him, making this as much about how Smart Spaces thinks about mobile access as it is about HID's view of the market.
They talk about why mobile access is no longer an unproven technology, the eight-plus stakeholders it can take to get a single building project signed off, and why 80% of the buildings that will exist in 2030 have already been built — meaning retrofitting is the real battleground, not new construction. The conversation moves from physical access into identity, why AI-driven deepfakes are accelerating that shift, and how an AI agent inside the Smart Spaces platform is already changing how customers use their own building data.
Topics covered include:
• Why "trial it and see" doesn't apply to mobile access anymore
• Getting eight-plus stakeholders aligned on a single building deployment
• Retrofitting the 80% of buildings that already exist
• The shift from access to identity, and what AI deepfakes mean for security
• Space Agent Max, the AI reshaping how customers use their building data
• Why cloud vs. on-prem is no longer a binary choice
• The strangest real-world uses of a mobile credential, from vending machines to waste tracking
Whether you're in proptech, security, or just curious how the buildings around you are quietly going digital, this is a look at what's replacing the keycard.

In this episode of Beyond the Tech, Dan Drogman sits down with entrepreneur and business leader Sam Malins to explore what it really takes to build and scale businesses across industries, markets, and continents.Recorded at PropTech Connect Dubai, Sam shares his journey from taking over a struggling family waste business to building global operations across waste management, fire suppression, manufacturing, and international markets.The conversation goes far beyond business growth. Sam discusses customer obsession, leadership, hiring, company culture, scaling teams, relocating to Dubai, and the lessons learned from growing businesses through both success and adversity.Topics covered include:• Growing a waste business from £10 million to £25 million during COVID• Building Reacton Fire Suppression into an international business• Why customer experience matters more than short-term profit• Hiring leaders and building high-performing teams• Creating a culture that scales across multiple countries• Moving to Dubai and expanding internationally• Why the best businesses eventually operate without their founderWhether you're a founder, business leader, investor, or entrepreneur, this episode offers practical insights on growth, resilience, and long-term value creation.

What if the secret to explosive business growth had nothing to do with targets, KPIs, or chasing revenue?

In the first episode of Beyond the Tech, Dan Drogman sits down with Jeff Dewing - International Energiser, Top 50 Workplace Leader, and No.1 bestselling author of Doing the Opposite - at PropTech Connect Dubai.

Jeff shares the three things every human being fundamentally wants from their work: autonomy, mastery, and purpose - and why most businesses are getting all three wrong. With only 11% of UK workers genuinely engaged, Jeff explains why the real opportunity isn't in firing your detractors, it's in turning them into your loudest promoters.

The result? Cloud & Mindsett went from 15% engagement to 90% in under nine months and from £1M to £80M in revenue in three years.

This is a conversation about people, culture, and why the money follows when you stop chasing it.