Since its inception in 2011, privately owned Fractal Systems, headquartered in Dubai’s Production City (formerly IMPZ), has effectively made quite a spectacle of itself by excelling in events technology and emerging as the veritable, proven provider of turnkey solutions for breath-taking Techno-Art presentations and performances.
Fractal Systems is the brainchild, an initiative of the enterprising Thierry Karim Louesse, its inspiring Founder-Managing Director, who comes with superb professional credentials. In a recent exclusive interview, the executive manager-turned-entrepreneur articulated his meteoric rise in the corporate world as well as the point of inflexion when the ‘entrepreneurial spirit’ in him was stirred up and he decided to set up his own company.
Fractal Systems’ excels and its reputation is best evident in the field of Mechatronics systems, an advanced, multidisciplinary branch of engineering that focuses on the engineering of both electrical and mechanical systems, and also includes a combination of robotics, electronics, computer, telecommunications, systems, control, and product engineering.
Louesse’s extensive 25-year career through the ranks and to the highest executive levels has been meteoric and he has been associated with one of the biggest IT companies in the world. “As often is the case, creating your company is a concurrence of circumstances. However, there came a time when the entrepreneurial ethos was awakened in me and I resolved to venture into business,” he recalls.
“Our indigenously-developed dream systems comprise a mix of technologies like mechatronics, programming, micro-electronics and 3D. Our systems are developed in-house, drawn from our expertise, experience and uniquely adapted to suit individual customer needs. Our systems find applicability for public events, museums, hotels and others landmarks. Our products are often equated with Techno-Art,” he explains.
Entrepreneurial foray
The latent entrepreneurial spark was ignited at a chance meeting with a government official. “In 2011, a state entity asked me if I would like to create my company with the objective to create landmark optics and extraordinarily lavish showmanship to celebrate and commemorate the 40th anniversary of the UAE Federation. I didn’t hesitate and within a month, Fractal Systems was born,” he notes.
Louesse acknowledges the indispensability of his partner and friend Renaud Barbier in the success of this venture. “Renaud, my personal ‘Steve Jobs’, is an incredible engineer with extensive and eclectic knowledge of the industry who has been instrumental in bringing at what at times appeared to be crazy and unrealistic ideas to fruition,” he asserts in characteristically IT parlance.
In the vision of leaving behind him a long lasting successful company, in Dubai, Thierry Louesse forges a team of very talented young managers and put them under intensive training to get them ready to over-take by summer 2021. His, as well, 25 years old son, Till Louesse, graduated Mechanical Engineer from Rochester Institute of Technology and in charge of R&D, is seen as having the potential to lead this enthusiastic team.
Good credentials
The company’s current team, of about 100 and growing, comprises of full-time multi-talented professionals who monitor and oversee every aspect of an event organization from conceptualization to commissioning. The average age of the company’s new niche of rigorously trained managers is a youthful 25, and all employees are put through the paces at which they can develop themselves as per the company vision.
The company’s laboratory is the crucible of new unprecedented ideas and breakthroughs. Creativity and innovation are at the very core and define the work ethic at Fractal Systems. The company presently has partnerships with six universities and welcomes 120 students each year for purposeful training and internship programmes. “These talented trainees constitute a huge reservoir of inventiveness and extraordinary ideas. They are malleable, eager to learn, raring-to-go and the promising ones get inducted into the company,” he states.
“Every act, every presentation is a spectacular feat by itself, the result of close interface with our clients. Our meticulously-choreographed, dazzling, bespoke theme-based projects are flawlessly executed. Delivering impeccably maneuvered performances every time, all the time, is the raison d’être of Fractal Systems,” he affirms.
“From an operational point of view, we develop in-house all the programmes necessary to animate our mechatronics systems as well as AR/VR and games available on IOS and Android platforms. We are presently developing drone technology and applications to be able to fly in a confined and closed environment. We are almost there,” he assures.
He is also justifiably proud of Fractal Systems’ comprehensive services offering and capabilities in the 3D Content Creation, Application Development, UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), Drones, Kinetic, Psychedelic and Strobe Lighting, Holograms and Augmented & Virtual Reality space.
Fractal Systems delivers an average of 150 projects each year. GITEX is on the top of our annual activity. But we are as well extremely active during Arab Health, CityScape, IDEX, WFES, ADIHEX, Gulfood, and other key exhibitions.
“For the last-edition ‘Future Investment Initiative’, chaired by HRH Prince Mohamed Bin Salman, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we developed a unique 8-metre vertical structure made of 24 layers of LED which spin around an axis that resemble a DNA structure. The audience and attendees were fascinated,” he reminisces.
Fractal forging forth
Thanks to its growing clientele, Fractal Systems has witnessed an exponential growth since its inception. According to Louesse, a sizable 60% of business emanates from the UAE, 20% from the remainder of the GCC and 20% from the rest of the world.
In his estimation the EXPO2020 and the 195 pavilions of participating countries provides enormous opportunities for all stakeholders involved. “We have been approached by over 30 countries to date to develop concepts and technologies for their pavilions.
“The 2030 ambitious development plan of KSA represents as well, an enormous opportunity. As a consequence, Fractal Systems is opening an office in the Kingdom and will be fully operational beginning of November of this year,” he observes.
“Our goals are clear, unambiguous and ambitious. We project Fractal Systems as must-go-to One Stop Shop for creativity and competitiveness for world wide events. Subsequently, we plan to develop a progressive business ecosystem involving major universities, the world of academia and event management professionals all working in unison and synchrony to deliver the finest outcomes technological know-how and expertise,” he adds.
“We are living in very exciting times. We are setting our sights ahead for upcoming major mega-events and meet the challenges and expectations of the organisers. We are committed to and focused on delivering the latest, turning point world-class results, effects and performances that will embellish the experiences of our clients and the attending public,” he concludes.
