Shaping New Possibilities with Johnson Controls

Rebecca Spayne met with Tanya Kilfeather, and Michael Hygild, of Johnson Controls at SICUREZZA 2025 to discover more behind the Johnson Controls brand 

SICUREZZA 2025 in Milan brought together the global security community at a moment of significant transformation for Johnson Controls. Across more than ten thousand visitors and three days of activity, the company showcased a renewed European structure, an expanded technology portfolio and a unified customer centric strategy. In this feature, Senior Director Europe for Access and Video Solutions, Tanya Kilfeather, and Associate Director Europe for Intrusion, Michael Hygild, share their reflections on the event, the evolution of the business and the opportunities shaping the future of integrated security across the region. 

Please give us an insight into your backgrounds?

Tanya opened the discussion by reflecting on her journey into the role, explaining that her background consists of leadership positions across manufacturing and distribution. She said, “My background is 20 years in transformation and leadership across multinational organisations. Joining Johnson Controls and attending SICUREZZA for the first time has been a real honour. The event has exceeded expectations, with more than ten thousand visitors across three days and an impressive number of new decision makers engaging with us.” She emphasised that the timing aligned directly with Johnson Controls’ refreshed EMEA strategy, adding, “Only in the last few weeks we have reorganised our European sales organisation to ensure our customers are positioned as Johnson Controls ACVS number one focus.”  

Michael introduced himself with equal clarity, drawing on more than 23 years in the security industry. He said, “I have been in the industry for a long time, working mainly in the video surveillance sector before moving into intrusion for the past eight years.” He explained that he joined Johnson Controls at a moment when the organisation is significantly modernising its intrusion brands. “Johnson Controls has invested a lot into our intrusion portfolio. We have some magnificent brands, and now we are bringing them together under one unified family. The innovation we have seen in the past year has been remarkable.”  

How is Johnson Controls evolving its EMEA structure to support customers?

Tanya outlined one of the most significant recent developments within the company. “We have strengthened our partner and customer offering by creating a European vertical expertise layer, covering data centres, airports, healthcare, government and critical infrastructures,” she explained. “This allows us to bring deep sector knowledge directly into customer conversations.”  

She added that a new European Strategic Partner team is now in place. “This team can take the time to understand customer needs in greater depth. Their role is to be consultative and to position Johnson Controls as the number one solution provider. Customers tell us they need to partner with experts who can deliver end to end solutions. Our new strategy delivers exactly that.” 

What attracted you to your role at Johnson Controls and to the wider security industry?

Tanya spoke openly about what drew her to Johnson Controls, highlighting both purpose and people. She explained, “First and foremost, I was sold on the power of the team. It was the people who attracted me to Johnson Controls.” She added that her new role offered the opportunity to influence meaningful strategic direction. “This role allows me to shape European strategy for Access Control and Video Solutions. It fits my experience and ambition to drive growth in a high potential industry. Being part of a company recognised for innovation and future focused solutions means I can help transform customer experience in the right way.” She also emphasised the strength of the organisational values, saying, “The strong emphasis on integrity, inclusion and collaboration resonates with my own commitment to diversity and gender inclusion.”  

Michael shared that his attraction to the role was not just the company culture, but also driven by the convergence of technology and strategy across Johnson Controls. “The industry is evolving quickly, and intrusion is entering a new phase of capability,” he said. “To be part of a company that is investing heavily, unifying product families and modernising its platforms presents a unique opportunity. I felt this was the right moment to contribute to something that is accelerating.” 

What differentiates Johnson Controls?

Michael described that the culture is strongly tied to problem solving and continuous improvement. “Teams collaborate across products and regions. Innovation moves faster because we share what works and what customers need. That spirit is very present across the intrusion, access and video teams.” 

Tanya added that the company culture is both grounded and forward looking. She said, “Johnson Controls emphasises inclusion, integrity, innovation and collaboration. These are not just words. They define how we work. With our vertically focused and customer centric organisation, we are set up for future long-term success.”