Cairo Bank turns security data into business value
Key outcomes
- Unifying video, access control, and intrusion in one platform enhances situational awareness and operator response across 230 branches
- The central Command & Control Room, powered by Security Center, provides real-time visibility into bank operations, strengthening improving oversight
- Built-in analytics and automations are standardized across branches, strengthening corporate compliance
- An open platform, designed to reliably scale, means Cairo Bank can keep growing and optimizing operations over time
The company
Cairo Bank is one of the oldest and largest banks in Egypt. With headquarters located in Cairo, the bank offers a range of financial services and products to corporate and retail customers. Today, the bank has over 230 branches spread across all governorates of the country, serving over three million customers.
The challenge
New regulations issued by the Central Bank of Egypt prompted Cairo Bank to unify security monitoring across the entire institution. Major General Hesham Tawfiq, Head of Security at Cairo Bank, saw this as an opportunity to move ambitious digital transformation goals forward. The bank was looking for a solution that could not only help them strengthen security but also become a valuable business tool.
“Unification and scalability were just the starting point. From day one, I knew we wanted functionalities that add value to all aspects of our operations. Security Center delivered everything we wanted in one easy-to-use solution.”
Major General Hesham Tawfiq, Head of Security at Cairo Bank
Why Cairo Bank chose Genetec
Cairo Bank issued a competitive tender seeking a single solution to manage video surveillance, intrusion detection, and access control across all its sites. The winning bidder had to show how these three technologies could come together in a single platform. Additionally, all system information across sites needed to be accessible through a centralized control room. The bank considered many integrated solutions, but only Genetec™ Security Center met all the requirements. It offered Cairo Bank a truly unified solution, where all systems work seamlessly together in one platform.
The solution
Centralizing visibility across all bank branches
Today, Cairo Bank operators manage video, access control, and intrusion across all sites using Security Center. Video and data connect back to a central control room, where operators work around the clock to ensure customers and staff stay safe. Using Security Center, the team in the control room can have video chats with sub-control room staff to provide real-time support as needed. This unified platform also gives headquarters a comprehensive view of branch operations, strengthening oversight, enhancing the customer experience, and supporting regulatory compliance.
Building automations to support corporate compliance
Security Center has become a valuable business tool for Cairo Bank. For example, the team uses built-in analytics to support corporate compliance and insurance requirements. The platform automatically sends alarms to operators in the control room when crowds are detected in certain areas or when an employee opens a safe or enters a sensitive area outside of business hours. The platform will also automatically lock down entry to safes after an employee has entered the room, and sensitive areas get automatically locked down when intrusion events are detected. All of this has been standardized across locations.
Enhancing the customer experience with real data
Security Center has further enhanced customer service and operational efficiency. Security leaders can relay information from branches and headquarters during daily operations or emergencies. The team can pull insights on average customers per branch and get automatic reports on when safes were open and closed across all locations. The team can share that information with internal stakeholders to improve processes. They can also quickly share video or reports with authorized managers to identify training needs. Finally, remote video inspections from the control room help reduce costs and save time by eliminating the need for on-site visits.
Unlocking open hardware choice
Since Security Center is an open-architecture platform, Cairo Bank had the freedom to select preferred devices and keep existing technologies as needed. Through Integrated Technics’ network of distributors, the bank was able to find top-shelf video, access control, and intrusion hardware for its deployment. Given the project’s scale and the emphasis on cybersecurity, performance, and reliability, Cairo Bank chose industry-leading solutions such as Mercury Security for access control panels and HID Global for access control readers.
“A highlight of the project was the Command & Control Room. Our team at Integrated Technics led the design and implementation and continues to offer ongoing support. The result is a powerful, real-time operational hub built on Security Center, enabling centralized monitoring, faster decision-making, and seamless coordination across all branches.”
Major General Hesham Tawfiq, Head of Security at Cairo Bank
Results
In the first year, Security Center was deployed across 48 branches. Today, Cairo Bank operators use the unified platform to manage over 6,000 cameras across 122 branches, with full coverage of all 230 branches nearing completion soon. On the backend, Security Center runs on Streamvault™ servers, providing dedicated video storage and archiving. All systems across sites connect back to a centralized Command & Control Room. From there, operators can view video, monitor access control, and manage intrusion detection all through a single, unified interface.
As a trusted partner, Integrated Technics played a defining role in shaping the technical direction of the project. The team delivered a stand-out product demo and proof of concept that set a benchmark for performance, integration, and reliability. This convinced Cairo Bank that Security Center was the solution they could confidently rely on. Today, the team continues to provide proactive support and ongoing system optimization, ensuring sustained performance and long-term value.