The expert interview of the Switchgear Content with Mr. Hassan Zaheer, COO of Power Technology Research (PTR) Company
Ali Sepehri
𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐠𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭.𝐜𝐨𝐦 platform & groups founder/Switchgear Senior Sales Engineer/ Switchgear Technical & Marketing Consult
Q1- Kindly provide an introduction to yourself and your company, detailing the company's involvement in the switchgear industry.
I am the Managing Partner & COO at PTR Inc. based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. I have been working in the Power grid sector for more than a decade now. Over the years I have advised various Fortune-500 and blue-chip clients around the world to sustainably grow their businesses, both through custom consulting work, marketing support services, and tailored research reports by PTR, helping their executive management and boards make data-driven decisions. I am also a Member of the Advisory Board for CWIEME Berlin and MENA EV Show, part of the Executive Editorial Board of APC Media, and an advisor to the educational non-profit Better Humans Academy.
I have a technical background with a Master in Power Engineering from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and a BS in Electrical Engineering from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Additionally, I am also an Alumni of the Centre for Digital Technology & Management (CDTM).
Our firm, PTR, is a strategic growth partner for clients in the electrical assets and infrastructure space, including Switchgear (HV and MV). With a strong focus on technology in addition to the markets, we help unlock growth for our clients through a mixture of strategic advisory, market intelligence, and marketing support. We do this for our clients in more than 20 different countries across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific.
Q2- How do you foresee the future market for electrical equipment, particularly switchgear? What is the significance of your company within this market?
Electrical equipment is one of the most crucial elements of our energy transition journey. Our approach to carbon neutrality is by and large driven by electrification to decarbonize.
The power grid is the backbone of electrification. Over the last 10 years, I have seen the awareness about the critical role of the power grid and electrical equipment has continuously increased. Something we see reflected in the markets as well as the demand for electrical equipment in the power grid increases.
Switchgear is no exception, whether High Voltage (HV) or Medium Voltage (MV). Our research at PTR, indicated a high single-digit growth in both HV and MV switchgear markets until the end of this decade, driven by strong demand drivers, from increasing electrification, and the addition of renewables, to grid modernization and replacement of the aging infrastructure. We monitor these markets very closely and continue to support the decision-making for our clients through our data-driven advisory work and marketing support to increase their brand awareness.
Q3- Has your company introduced any new products or innovative solutions in the switchgear industry in recent years? Please elaborate on this.
As we grow as a firm, we have been getting various new requests from our clients. Some of those help us in our practice development as we learn from the experience and offer these services on a broader scale. Something new that we have been doing for our clients is supporting their brand awareness and overall marketing efforts. One of the things we noticed is a large gap in technical and market perspectives in the marketing support being provided to our clients. We want to change that with our marketing services, our new business line, where we bring our in-depth knowledge of the markets as well as our technical know-how of the electrical equipment together, to offer marketing solutions that allow our clients to position themselves with the right messaging in front of the right audience in-line with their growth strategy.
Q4- How do you assess the impact of digital marketing on the growth of your company’s brand and services? Are you acquainted with the services offered by the Switchgear Content platform in this regard?
In today’s world, digital marketing is as important in our industry as it would be in any other industry. Traditionally electrical equipment sales have been treated as a very in-person B2B sales-oriented business. Which to a very large degree it is. But even with that, the role of marketing and brand visibility is still very crucial. Customers of electrical equipment (Utilities, EPCs, Developers, etc.) are increasingly looking for ways to learn more about the products and solutions online before making purchase decisions. Companies with a strong online presence and brand equity reap several advantages, from easier product/vendor approvals and customer preference for their products to strong trust in their portfolio leading to long-term customer relationships. A strong brand also enables access to top talent and workforce in a market where there is a huge shortage of it. I see more and more companies realizing these benefits among many others and investing more in their digital marketing.
Switchgear Content as a platform fits right in this mix. With one of the largest audiences consisting of engineers and executives interested in the switchgear industry, it is an important platform for anyone considering digital marketing in the switchgear space.
5- Lastly, if you have any additional information to share, please feel free to do so.
The switchgear industry is undergoing transformative changes, ranging from the increasing adoption of SF6-free alternatives to the evolution of supply chains to meet rising global demand. In this dynamic environment, staying informed about market trends is not just beneficial—it is essential. By leveraging insights from diverse and reliable sources, businesses can position themselves to anticipate and adapt to emerging challenges and opportunities. This proactive approach enables companies to remain competitive, capitalize on growth prospects, and mitigate potential risks, rather than scrambling to catch up in an ever-evolving landscape.
As the industry continues to innovate and adapt, collaboration among stakeholders—manufacturers, utilities, policymakers, and advisors—will be key to driving sustainable growth. At PTR, we remain committed to empowering our clients with the tools and insights they need to thrive in this exciting and rapidly changing market. Together, we can shape the future of energy infrastructure.
About PTR company:
PTR Inc. was founded first to understand, document, and communicate the intricacies of this challenge and second to identify the best technologies and associated business models to integrate into complex legacy power grids. With over a decade of experience in the Power Grid and New Energy sector, PTR Inc. has evolved from being a core market research firm into a comprehensive Strategic Growth Partner, empowering our clients through their growth and transition in the electrical infrastructure space.