Haitham Kalakesh didn't set out to build another gadget company. He set out to end a frustration: the cheap device that breaks in a week. A decade later, Riversong is in more than 70 countries and on the wrists, in the ears and in the pockets of people across five continents.
Watch: Haitham Kalakesh on the story behind Riversong.
Haitham co-founded Riversong after years in consumer electronics, including an early career at Nokia. The bet was simple and stubborn: affordable technology doesn't have to feel disposable. Build it well, stand behind it with a real warranty, and ordinary people will trust you with their everyday tech.
"I want to get Riversong technology into the hands of everyday people. It's affordable, but it's also durable, and to prove it we back it with a 2-year warranty."
From a sales floor to a global brand
Haitham's path runs from selling phones to shaping a brand that ships hundreds of products worldwide. That ground-level start still shapes how he leads: he obsesses over the moment a customer unboxes a device, and whether it still works flawlessly two years later.
Learning the market at Nokia
Years in mobile and consumer electronics sales taught Haitham what real people want from technology, and what makes them lose trust in a brand.
Riversong is born
Haitham co-founds Riversong with one promise: durable, affordable smart devices, backed by a warranty that proves it.
Forbes Business Council
He joins the Forbes Business Council, sharing his perspective on building trust at scale in consumer tech.
Into the UK and beyond
Riversong opens a London office in Hammersmith and pushes past 60 countries, from the Gulf to Africa to Southeast Asia.
A connected ecosystem
From the Trinity smart ring to Motive watches and PowerKub charging, Riversong is building devices that work together for a new, mobile-first generation.
The philosophy: affordable, but built to last
Haitham's pitch hasn't changed since day one. Quality shouldn't be a luxury. Every Riversong device ships with a 2-year warranty because durability isn't a marketing line; it's the product. That belief is why the brand keeps winning shelf space across organized retail in dozens of markets.
What's next
The next chapter is an ecosystem built for Gen Z: AI-driven wearables, audio and smart-home devices that talk to each other and stay accessible. The ambition is bigger, but the rule is the same, make great technology that everyday people can actually afford to own.