SYMFONY Group founder Michael Camilleri-Ferrante was in Malta last week where he has just set up a subsidiary for Symfony, which has offices in the UK and Monaco.
Born in England in 1958 to Maltese parents, Michael Camilleri-Ferrante moved to Malta when he was about two years old. Starting his education on these islands, he returned to England in 1979.
There he attended King's College, University of London, where he graduated B.Sc. (Eng) in Electronics and Computer Science. During this time he founded MUCK (Microprocessor Users Clubs at Kings), the first in what was to be a series of founding endeavours over the next few decades.
Between 1981 and 1988 he worked at GEC Hirst Research Centre, starting off as a senior engineer in the microwave radio laboratory and moving up to personal communications section leader before becoming the cordless technology business development manager.
Still based in the UK he then moved to GEC (General Electric Company) Plessey Telecommunications as cordless communication chief engineer. While holding this position he was the lead ETSI representative, also managing the Digitally Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) Research and Development (R&D) team. Mr Camilleri-Ferrante then managed the development and manufacture of the second generation cordless telephone (CT2) products, eventually merging GEC, Siemens and Plessey CT2 and the DECT R&D teams.
In 1991 he moved to Spain, as cordless products and technology director at Alcatel Standard Electrica SA. In his first two years he created the DECT wireless PABX group, creating a 60-strong DECT staff. In just over a year he developed DECT handsets and base stations and introduced them to the market.
In 1994 he progressed to radio access director. His expertise helped him increase radio access from a fledgling group to a leading Alcatel division. Among other accomplishments he merged the cordless and radio access teams into one division before moving to France in 1996.
Here he took up the position of cellular engineering director at Philips Consumer Communications. He held this position for just under a year - enough time to manage all silicon developments and manufacturing interface, as well as introducing and supporting products (Philips' first GSM, AMPS and TACS handsets) worldwide. He also built and managed the digital and analogue cellular development teams before shifting post to product operations director - a post he was to hold for a year.
This period led to sales in excess of four million handsets while introducing 16 new cellular handsets, including the Genie, at that time the lightest in the world at 99g. He also managed cellular and cordless operations.
When life begins at 40
In 1998, within a month of his 40th birthday Mr Camilleri-Ferrante founded Sensei Ltd. As president and chief executive officer (CEO) he brought in seed capital to the tune of US$10 million - for no equity stake - from a Japanese company.
Building a team of 50 world-class GSM design engineers, Mr Camilleri-Ferrante designed and built the smallest, lightest dual-band GSM handset in the world. At 68g, this WAP-compliant cellular phone was still the lightest almost two years later - an eternity in the telecommunications world.
By July 2000 he had established a comprehensive technology and product road map; brought in a further $16m (once again for no equity stake) from a major German blue chip; introduced volume manufacturing facilities in China; established worldwide distribution for his company's products and brought in second-round venture capital financing, at which point he sold Sensei to Vtech Holdings Ltd.
Mr Camilleri-Ferrante owned 38% of Sensei at the time of the sale. While selling 100% of the Sensei share capital to Vtech Holdings Ltd, Vtech Mobile Ltd was set up, where he held the position of managing director for 12 months.
He then founded Symfony Ltd (www.symfony.co.uk) in September 2001. His mission was "to bring the benefits of the digital home to the consumer and not only the very affluent".
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Mr Camilleri-Ferrante explained what Symfony Group is all about - "the integration of home essentials". Security, lighting and video are generally seen as separate items, while storage and distribution of music tends to be limited in its capacity. "Everyone likes hi-tech (equipment), but most don't like it for everything. They want something that's easy to use." It can be complicated technology but most are only concerned with how it is operated, rather than how it actually works.
Symfony Group received very positive public acclaim due to it's excellent after sales service. The first company to offer technical help via a phone call, capable of either explaining what to do by phone, or by clarifying potential problems to ensure that technicians will turn up with the correct equipment and components.
Symfony Group can offer a full package, ideal for people building homes as well as improvements for people with a current home who simply want to improve the technology they already have.
Talks are held with practically all technology companies at a distributive level. This means that they can suggest the best equipment for a particular home without a bias towards one particular brand. The equipment they produce at their R&D unit in the UK can ensure that all equipment, even when cross-branding - as is generally the case - is fully functional.
To slightly clarify the picture, imagine being able to control practically all household items through one control. Speakers can be installed in all rooms, so that one central system can play different songs in different rooms. Televisions can be controlled individually or separately. Lighting can be controlled effectively. All through the same control.
Lighting is rarely used to full effect within homes in Malta. When watching television, stored settings will dim the lights around the television while increasing intensity elsewhere. When entertaining a different range of light intensities is ideal. The change is as simple as the touch of a button. All sockets are changed to the type used for telephone lines, with a sort of adapter used to make all units compatible. In this way, if one decides to shift the location of units within the home no re-wiring is necessary.
All units are connected to a central unit (which can be disguised inside a cupboard or other unit) and technicians can simply reprogramme the switch to act for one unit rather than another.
People can also choose to have Symfony Group check up on their equipment. Through a network, technicians can have access to the central unit to confirm where a problem might crop up, and inform the client before it gets any worse.
For those who fear a breach of privacy there is the option of contacting Symfony Group when a problem arises. They will then be told to connect a wire to activate the network and insert a code to allow access. The technicians can then run tests to inform the client what sort of remedial action is necessary.
In one of the most advanced of cases it is possible to have a CCTV which will automatically switch on and start recording in case of a break-in. If the owner has an MMS phone a call is made for the owner to be able to see what is going on in his home, and if the audio system is also connected, two-way communication is possible.
One can also, through the phone, switch on the air-conditioning in the bedroom, for example, when leaving a restaurant, thus avoiding leaving the air-conditioning unit on for nothing while the house is vacant, but still having the room at the right temperature when returning home.
Recruitment of engineers has already started, with their training in the UK. However final commissioning, progressing and sign-off is always done through the UK branch.
Symfony Group has packages that could appeal to private, as well as corporate, individuals. Packages incorporate varying technology levels. "The quality is as good as the budget allows," Mr Camilleri-Ferrante said, "with the possibility of buying additional services."
An entry level package might include basic levels of lighting, security, Internet, audio and video. Someone who has already got a home entertainment system could choose to keep their current appliances. These can then be included in the system, while money that was not spent could be used for upgrades within the other sections or simply not spent.
The group are LINN customised specialist installers, one of only five in Europe. They are also CEDIA members - with 500 members worldwide. The Malta branch has already been recognised as a member.
Asked about why he would set up shop in Malta, facing such a small market, Mr Camilleri-Ferrante said that he is always on the look-out to pick off holes in the market, and the group is the first to offer this service in Malta. He added that EU entry will simplify the opening of international companies in Malta.
"People are spending more on property, and consequently spending more time in it." Entertainment and safety are becoming higher priorities, Mr Camilleri-Ferrante believes.
Mr Camilleri-Ferrante includes carpentry, music, guitar-playing, deal-making and growing startup technology companies as his interests. His personal achievement would include the creation of a successful blues band on the London pub circuit, while one of his top professional achievements is growing Sensei Ltd to a value of $100 million in two years.