More Than a Market: LATAM’s Security Evolution Demands Global Attention
Few regions today offer the complex combination of ambition, opportunity and challenge quite like Latin America. After a recent trip to Mexico City for Expo Seguridad, I left with more than just a badge and some new (electronic) business cards. I walked away with a renewed belief that LATAM is not just worth watching...it’s worth engaging. Now.
Let’s clarify what we mean by “LATAM.” It refers to 33 countries and territories across the Americas where Spanish and Portuguese are dominant. This includes heavyweights like Brazil and Mexico, as well as smaller nations with unique economic and regulatory landscapes. Yet, in boardrooms and global strategy sessions, LATAM is often treated as a single playbook. That oversimplification has led to missteps.
Different countries demand different approaches. Argentina is not Colombia. Peru is not Mexico. Treating them as interchangeable results in shallow market penetration and missed opportunities.
About a decade ago, many global security players charged into LATAM, building local teams and infrastructure. But as priorities shifted, many of those same companies pulled out, handing the reins to distributors. The result? A lingering sense of abandonment. Brands are remembered, not just for showing up, but for walking away.
Today, much of the Expo Seguridad show floor is populated by those distributors, often representing big names who are themselves absent. The message is clear: this market notices who stays and who doesn’t.
What’s changed? LATAM is undergoing a shift. End-users and channel players are asking for more. Not just cheaper hardware, but quality, service and reliability. In security, as in other industries, the “race to the bottom” rarely ends well. Consider how Chinese car brands have flooded Mexico City with low-cost options, only to be plagued by service issues. The same can, and does, happen with low-cost security solutions.
Technicians, integrators and users don’t want unsupported systems. They want products that work, that last and that generate long-term value. The companies that will win are not those with the lowest price, but those who build trust, hire locally and commit visibly.
LATAM’s digital community is thriving, especially on LinkedIn. Leaders are engaging in real conversations, sharing insight, and telling the region’s story in their own words. That energy should be met with equal enthusiasm from the global community. Inclusion, even through something as simple as offering translated sessions, can dramatically increase engagement and investment.
This October, we’re launching ACS LATAM in São Paulo with Google as a partner. It’s our first regional Access Control Summit (ACS) focused entirely on Latin America. By invitation only, it’s designed to foster real conversations among industry leaders, partners and end-users. The goal? Collaboration that leads to action, both locally and globally.
LATAM doesn’t just want to grow. It’s already doing it. The question is: do we have the desire to meet that energy with our own? I believe we do. And I believe now is the moment to act: with presence, humility and intent.
I’m in. Are you?
