In this Executive Checkpoint podcast, host Tino Urbina interviews Martin Gross, CEO of Command Group, about his personal journey, leadership philosophy, and the evolution of security communication technology. Gross recounts his early fascination with airplanes, an engineering education in mechanical and electronic fields, and a career that began in sales before moving through product, project, production, logistics, HR, and marketing roles at Command over two decades. He emphasizes that organizational success rests on three equally vital pillars—structure, strategy, and culture—illustrated with a wind‑mill visual. Gross describes Command’s historic tech milestones: early adoption of CMOS microprocessors in the 1980s, digitization of control desks in the 1990s, pioneering IP technology in the 2000s, virtualization in the 2010s, and now integrating AI as the next transformative wave. He stresses that technology is merely a tool to serve customers, and that inclusive, accessible design is central to Command’s solutions. On global leadership, Gross highlights the importance of consciously choosing where cultural seams lie—preferring differences between the CEO and regional managing directors rather than between local staff and their leaders. He outlines the traits of effective leaders (authenticity, honesty, win‑drive, communication, humility) and warns against micromanagement, dishonesty, self‑interest, and toxic high performers. Looking ahead, he predicts hybrid security solutions powered by data, AI, cloud, and the convergence of physical and cyber domains, while cautioning that over‑reliance on technology without critical thinking can be detrimental. He advises his younger self to practice more patience and humility. Finally, Gross announces his upcoming appearance at the GSX conference in New Orleans, inviting listeners to engage with him there.
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Welcome to Executive Checkpoint, the live podcast for security professionals. Each week, we explore industry trends, challenges, and insights with leading experts. This is your insider access to the minds driving change in our industry.
Welcome to Executive Checkpoint, where security professionals gather insight to navigate the dynamic and ever-evolving world of physical and cybersecurity. I'm your host, Tino Urbina, and today we have the privilege of speaking to Martin Gross, CEO of Command Group. He is a global leader in security communication systems with a background in engineering leadership and passion for accessible design. Martin has spearheaded Comms transformation, integrating AI, embracing inclusive communication technologies, and expanding their global impact in critical infrastructure environments. So today, Martin will share his leadership journey, the innovative spirit behind Command's award-winning solutions and his vision for the future of security intelligent communication. So Martin, it's a true honor and pleasure to have you in the show. It's been a minute we've been talking about it, so glad to have you. So how are you?
Yeah, very well. Thanks for having me. My pleasure. Doing well. I hope you're doing well too.
So Martin, as always, we We want to make sure we understand your journey. So starting from the beginning, can you share a little bit how you get started in the industry or what was the motivation?
Basically, or let's— my base education is I'm an engineer. So I have an engineering degree in electronics and mechanical engineering. But to be honest, I never worked as an engineer. So my first path took me through sales. sales. And I arrived at Command 20 years ago. And basically, I sat on almost every chair there is except of bookkeeping, meaning my entry point was on the product management, project management side. On different stages, I was responsible for production and all the logistic part. due to HR, marketing. So basically everything at one point over those first 13 years with Command, uh, really learned from the basis what Command is about. Uh, parallel to that first steps in that industry, uh, um, I was always interested in, very interested in leadership and did some additional education. So I studied organizational sociology and group dynamics. So I was pretty early, I was convinced that, well, yeah, you can have the best technicians, you can have the best strategy, but what makes you succeed or fail are the people within it. and not the things on the PowerPoint. Or to quote Mr. Drucker, I think everybody knows that quote, culture eats strategy for breakfast.
I like that. Well, is there any formative moments that led you first to engineering and then maybe in your professional side of career to command?
Yeah, that is really, that's based, my love for the technical side is based in my childhood. I, I was really in love with airplanes from a little boy on. So I was interested. I built little models with little engines in it. They got bigger and more expensive. I crashed them. I rebuilt them. I redesigned them. So, um, um, yeah, I was, I was, I was always really interested in how machines, how things work on the, on the engineering or technical side. So that first decision was pretty easy for me that I want to do something in that direction. My first choice would have been, what's the English word for it? Sorry for every, all the listeners, as you can hear, I'm not native. So sometimes I'm gonna stumble a lot of words.
You and me both, Martin, not to worry.
Yeah. So my first choice would have been designing airplanes. So, but that didn't work out just due to the distance I would have had to travel to attend that classes. And back then I was still too young to live not with my parents. So that first choice then at the age of 15, 14 was going in a different direction. And that's where I, where I picked the mechanical engineering part and then added the electronic part to it. So, uh, what was the first thing? The first thing that brought me in touch with technique was just my love for planes, to be, to give a short answer to that.
Did you, did you, have you ever, uh, tried to get your license for, I mean, was it the plane itself or flying the plane? Because it might be 2 different things.
There was, it, in the beginning it was mainly the main, the main thing was always the technique behind it and to design them and to build them and at that age, modifying them and basically only with the aim to be faster. Um, so I really tried to tune them up and get weight out and what's, what, whatever came to my mind and, and experimenting with different materials. So it was always more on the building and enhancing.
Right.
Uh, but there was interested in, interest in flying as well. Um, to be honest, I never took made a license. But I had the great opportunity that the mom of my sons had a pilot's license. So, and, and of course, you're going to turn off the recording now. I flew with her on the copilot seat.
Oh, there you go.
Just with those little one engines.
Officially, not officially, right? Well, let me ask you, can I turn it a little bit into the the professional side of things. I mean, your journey to now sit as the CEO of a global organization, I'm sure it was not a simple one. What part of that journey did you feel was transformative or was a key moment that you recall thinking, you know, I'm— here's my goal to be in the chair, or simply was that your love for leading and helping people?
Um, it really came together, or that, that, um, um, um, desire for, for leading people, uh, uh, came out of that, that, and that it was not one epiphany. It was just, it, it, it grew on me that, like I said, uh, I truly, I truly believe, or we truly believe in, uh, that success grows on 3 pillars. And that grew on me over time. And those 3 pillars are structure, strategy, and culture. And I figured at one point, to really have influence, you need to have the opportunity to influence those 3 pillars. Meaning, you, you, you, on the one hand side, you, you, you have to create the surrounding, the, the, the structure that it can be successful. Uh, you need to have a, a decent and, and, and, and, and unique vision. So strategy to it.
Right.
And last but not least, what I said, um, but who cares about structure and strategy if the culture is not supporting it? And those 3 pillars, from my point of view, should not only hinder each other or not being in the way of each other, they should be really accelerators for each other. So if you have, if you have an agile organization and you think you have an agile mindset and vision, but you have an org chart with 276 levels of hierarchy, uh, that's kind of, um, not fitting into each other. So that, that, that necessity to work on all 3 of those pillars grew on me. And, uh, with, with the wish of really being influential and, and, and, and, um, um, develop people and develop a company brought me to the point where I realized, I mean, I also need to do some career steps to have that opportunity.
Right. Well, and you mentioned the 3 pillars. Where does that concept come from? Is that, is this something that you've developed over time professionally, or is that just, this is your own?
I, I, I'm not aware that I stole it somewhere. So if so, no, that is really, that is, that is kind of the picture, that picture that, that grew over time, the 3 pillars. Or if you, if you saw on one of my presentations, the windmill, with the 3 rotors, if you maybe can remember, that represents, let's say, another view of it. Those windmills with 3 rotors, which are strategy, structure, and culture, which are firing each other and help each other move forward and generate energy and therefore outcome.
Yeah, I love that analogy. That's a very easy analogy to understand. Without one, the mill is not gonna Work properly.
And it is not, it's, it's also in every, so this kind of, of, of visualization also, uh, developed. Because if you do them in a triangle, you always have one on top. If you try, if you try to, that, that's for me is the best visualization of the equality of those 3 elements, not from my point of view and my, my, my experience, but also from my, yeah, I truly believe those 3 are equally important to be successful. And therefore, this visualization of that windmill, uh, with nobody being on top, nobody being more important, having a bigger pie chart, or even coloring them, and colors do different, uh, give different meanings. So that visualization, uh, uh, uh, yeah, one day popped up.
Right. Well, and let me ask you, some of the Things that I feel are very keen in leadership is bringing new technologies and, you know, bringing the organization along with that technology. Seems like the inclusivity in design that Command brings to communication is very keen and it seems accessible to pretty much all technologies, right? AI, I'm sure, plays a role in that new technology and bringing engineering and culture. How does the impact of AI— what's the impact of AI, you think, from your perspective in the industry?
AI will have a huge impact, as so many big technology steps have. I do think AI is just the next big technology step. But if you look backwards, I mean, and that is, yeah, I'm— you just stop me when I'm talking too much.
No, no.
So if you go back and Command is there since more than 50 years now, so 54 years, and those innovative mindset, that, that, that, that drive and desire of always being the most innovative company, at least in our niche, also goes through those steps. So meaning those big technology steps. If you look back early '80s, we had the first CMOS microprocessors in our industry, used, made use of them early 1990s. Is the digital— we brought the digital era to the control desk. In the early 2000s, we were the first one in our industry with IP technology. In the early 2010s, we were the first one with the virtualization. And so it's just natural, I would even say, that in the early 2000s, we also took advantage of this next step, the AI wave that is coming. And, um, that is also the balance you have to strike, I think, with these technology steps, um, because technology in the end of the day, for me and for the mindset of Com&nt, is only the vehicle, the, the vehicle you use to generate solutions that helps the customer.
Right. So customer first, customer-centric.
It's customer-centric, and it is really just the adaptation to new technologies. And the next technology step always gives you more opportunities, gives you more things to embrace and do for your customer. So I would even say it should be natural to be always on top of the technology. But there is something after AI as well. So for me, maybe it's a big step. And what do I expect from it? Of course, a lot. But the same goes for— I expected a lot of the change to IP, right? Not less, not less. And the same when we went from analog to digital. I mean, that were huge steps as well. Um, so, uh, AI—
It's always like you're gonna have competing concepts, right? At least at the time, IP and analog were some resistance from the market that now is just totally normal. And in fact, the legacy now. So I think AI is in that process.
It's the same.
So for some companies, I guess the concept of AI seems to me that it's something that is common, and I feel that you're leading a company that is presently an innovative or leading force when it comes to utilization in the communication platform. So kudos to you guys and the technical team of the company. Um, I do want to ask a little bit of wisdom from your side of the equation. Of course, someone has led, you know, change in a global scale. Uh, what's one of those, uh, leadership lessons that stay with you through highs and lows?
Uh, especially regarding, uh, to the internet— international, uh, uh, development, you mean?
Sure.
Yeah.
I mean, we live in a global group, so whatever.
Yeah. Uh, there is, there is one thing I can, I can't emphasize more. You have to make a choice where you want to have your cultural, uh, um, um, scene. So from my point of view, I have to choose, do I want to have the cultural difference between me and my managing director in the country, or as many companies do, they put— I would— I could also put an Austrian as an MD to the US. So I make a choice as I make the choice. Where do you want to have— where do I want to have that cultural scene? Do I want it to have between me and my MD or my MD and the employees and the colleagues in the country? And other than a lot of other international companies, I truly believe that seam should be between me and my MD, not the MD and his local staff. So cultural differences and the management of cultural, international cultural, different cultural, different teams is more or less one of the most challenging thing. And the most important decision on that one, point blank, is where do you want to have the break in the culture?
Right. Because there's a point where you still have to bring it home, right?
Yes.
And alignment with the mother.
Yeah.
Mothership, right?
Yeah, true. And I rather, I rather have an MD who is on the same cultural level than everybody else in that country. And I have to gap that bridge, then I have an easy way to an Austrian sitting in the US because that's easier for me, of course, right? But he has then the cultural gap towards everybody else working in the States.
It's true. So what are the things that you feel make a leader or a strong leader? I mean, if you, I mean, with your colleagues and maybe other CEOs that you my network. What are those characteristics that you find define that leader as a good leader?
Authenticity, um, honesty, um, a clear desire to win. Communication skills, and most of all, the ability to take himself not too important.
Right. I think they're valid. And I'm not sure if they're uniquely European per se, but you and I had this conversation before where sometimes it feels, at least in the US, you have this idea of leadership of the strongman. And to me, what you define as a good leader is exactly it, no matter where you are in the world. You know, that authenticity and almost willingness to be humble and learn is a big part of being a good rounded leader. So I agree, and I'm sure our audience will agree, then, that those are very well-defined parts of what is a good leader. Now, In the flip side of that, um, what are the things that you definitely prefer not to engage with, with a company or an organization or a leader that is going to be detrimental in, in, in that leadership role? What are the negatives that you will recommend someone avoiding? You know, someone looking to move in that direction, what are the things that you will say stay away from?
Clearly micromanagement. Find the people you trust. If you think you are the smartest, you will not be a good leader.
Right.
And yeah, and avoid dishonesty as much as possible. Yeah, self-interest. If you, if you're really highly only self-interested, you will not be a great leader. And, um, an important thing is it doesn't matter if you're a high performer. Um, I would never accept a toxic high performer.
That's so key, right? I think there's a trade-off some people, some companies make. to keep those people leading because they, they bring up their cancers, right?
Yeah.
Yeah. Well, let's look ahead, right? Where do you see the future of security communications heading? I mean, especially with, you know, like we say, emerging technologies, AI, 5G, IoT.
Well, I mean, it's, it's, it's security industry, as many are in, in, in a huge transformation. I mean, digitalization, but this whole transformation driven by AI, driven by cloud computing driven by the convergence of physical and cybersecurity.
Right.
So hybrid solutions will be a big thing. And in the end of the day, it will be a lot of what the main drivers are will be data generating data gathering, interpreting it, and really giving the customer the advantage of learning every day what he could do better.
Right. But by leveraging these technologies, is that what I understand?
Again?
By leveraging those technologies, the upcoming technologies, of course.
Technology should be always just a tool. So if you, if you, if you make, start making the, start making the, the, the, the mistake of, um, not thinking anymore, Right. Technology, technology will just run over you. Um, use, use technology to your advantage, but, um, The, the higher the grade on technology, the more I emphasize switch on the brain.
Right. It seems such a simple thing. And, uh, I feel not generational, but you see more and more people starting to look for that, uh, authentic relationship conversation. I, I think we're gonna revert in one point of time to be more willing to be engaged on a one-on-one basis. Right, to learn versus the AI just giving us our fitting information.
Yeah.
Well, um, what would be the, uh, one piece of advice you will give to yourself early if you can go back and talk to Martin early in that career based on what you know today? What advice would you give them, or, you know, your kids, whichever one is Um, have more patience with yourself and everybody else.
Uh, so, uh, I, I, it, it, it took me some while, uh, some, uh, oh yeah, that, that would be, I would have more patience with yourself. Um, um, if you're in the end, and, and I named it, I mean, being driven and wanting to win is really a key element, uh, uh, to be successful also as a leader. But on the other hand, you can't force it. You, some things you can't force. So I would have loved to learn to be more patient early on my career.
Right. I think, I think we can, a lot of us can relate to that. And last question, obviously you're leading a large organization. Is there an upcoming event that If anyone wants to engage in a future conversation about leadership you will be participating, what's the best time to, to reach you?
And, uh, I will be the next time, I will be latest at GSX next year. Uh, this year.
Oh, this year. Perfect.
So I will be, I will be in the States at least for the GSX in New Orleans. So more than happy to, to share thoughts, uh, because And I always like to listen more than I talk because I want to learn as well. So feel free to approach me, but also be prepared. I'm going to ask some questions because I want to learn something as well.
Absolutely. Well, Martin, this has been fast and furious. I think we could have extended this for another hour, but I want to thank you for participating in the Executive Checkpoint. And to the audience watching and listening, thank you so much. We'll look forward to seeing everyone on GSX with Martin, and we'll see you in the next Checkpoint.
Thank you. Thank you, Tino. Thanks for having me. Have a great day.
