Post-Show Coverage of Intersec 2025: A premier platform

The 26th edition of Intersec, which took place in January 2025 at Dubai World Trade Centre, welcomed its largest ever number of industry professionals from around the world.

This year’s Intersec reinforced the event’s position as a premier platform for global leaders, innovators and experts to exchange knowledge, forge partnerships and explore advancements shaping the future of safety, security and fire protection.

Surpassing previous exhibitor records, the 2025 edition underscored Intersec’s growing influence and its role in driving forward-thinking solutions for a safer, more secure world. The event’s continued success highlights a commitment to fostering collaboration and setting new benchmarks for excellence.

The exhibition, which was held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, welcomed 47,300 visitors from 142 countries and showcased cutting-edge technologies and critical solutions across five key sectors: Commercial & Perimeter Security, Fire & Rescue, Safety & Health, Cyber Security, and Homeland Security & Policing, in line with the show theme ‘Mapping the Future of Security, Safety and Fire Protection.’

New launches and favourite features

The new CISO Business Briefing successfully welcomed the region’s top CISOs.

Another first for the exhibition was a groundbreaking partnership with Ignyte, which saw the launch of the Intersec Startup Arena, providing startups with a unique opportunity to showcase the ideas and solutions disrupting the industry to an audience of industry leaders, government representatives and top-tier investors, paving the way for startups to achieve strategic partnerships, mentorship and investment.

Returning for this year was the perennially popular Safety Walk for attendees to explore the latest advancements in PPE.

Presented in a fashion-show-style format, models took to the runway showcasing safety gear, demonstrating both functionality and innovation in PPE design.

Companies such as NAFFCO, Nordic Xtreme, Caterpillar (CAT) and Instinkt were among the key participants, showcasing their latest advancements in protective equipment.

The interactive sessions allowed attendees to experience select equipment first-hand, offering valuable insights into the comfort, durability and ergonomic advancements of modern safety gear.

By blending practical demonstrations with a visually compelling presentation, the Safety Walk not only highlighted the critical role of PPE in safeguarding workers, but also helped reshape perceptions of industrial safety gear, reinforcing its importance across multiple sectors.

Intersec 2025 also provided a platform for several MoU signings, including companies such as Abu Dhabi Civil Defence, Nordon, Saudi Sicli, ASIS International, Firestop Contractors International Association (FCIA), Gallagher, Sharjah Civil Defence, NAFFCO and UXE Security Solutions.

Conferences raising industry standards

The knowledge-sharing program continues to be a cornerstone of Intersec, bringing together experts for a series of thought-provoking discussions, strategic insights and technical advancements.

With all sessions CPD-certified, attendees had the opportunity to deepen their expertise, earn professional development points and engage in knowledge-sharing sessions that will shape the future of safety, security and fire protection.

The diverse and dynamic conference lineup provided a vital platform for addressing the most pressing challenges and innovations in the industry.

A key highlight of this year’s program was the Security Leaders’ Summit, which brought together top decision-makers and innovators to explore forward-thinking security strategies and solutions.

The summit fostered high-level discussions on redefining industry norms, strengthening resilience and driving collective global action to enhance security across various sectors.

Similarly, the CISO Business Briefing explored key trends, emerging threats and opportunities in the rapidly evolving field of cybersecurity.

The event opened with a keynote address by H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government, setting the stage for in-depth discussions on the future of digital security.

Across the sessions, experts examined critical topics ranging from advanced risk mitigation strategies to the latest technological developments designed to protect critical infrastructure from sophisticated cyber-adversaries.

Notable sessions delved into some of the most pressing challenges in cybersecurity today.

Faheem Siddiqui, Director of Information Security at Majid Al Futtaim Holding, addressed the growing risks posed by AI-driven disinformation, emphasising the need for advanced governance and defensive strategies to combat misinformation.

Brett Taylor, Safety & Security Director at Diriyah, explored innovative approaches to security risk assessments in the built environment, while Leo Levit, Chair of the ONVIF Steering Committee, examined media authenticity in video surveillance, highlighting concerns over digital evidence integrity.

Majid AlShowdari, a Cyber Security Leader from a confidential government agency in Saudi Arabia, rounded out the discussions with an in-depth look at the future of cybersecurity resilience, stressing the importance of adaptive frameworks to counter evolving digital threats.

In the fire and safety domain, the Fire & Rescue Conference gathered experts and emergency service professionals to address the latest regulatory updates, risk management strategies and innovative fire safety solutions shaping the industry.

The Safety & Health Conference, led by IOSH and NEBOSH tackled key topics in workplace safety, wellbeing and the implementation of best practices to create safer working environments.

Meanwhile, the SIRA Forum facilitated interactive discussions among commercial security experts, focusing on the integration of smart security solutions and sustainable best practices.

The Thought Leadership Pavilion, hosted by the Access Control Executive Brief, ran across three days, featuring expert-led sessions on the latest advancements in access control and smart lock technologies.

This dedicated space provided invaluable insights into the future of security access systems, with leading industry thinkers sharing their perspectives on innovation and market trends.

Awards bring recognition to industry stars

The Intersec Awards 2025 once again set the benchmark for excellence in the global security, safety and fire protection industries.

Held at the Ritz Carlton DIFC in Dubai, the ceremony recognised outstanding achievements across 16 categories, highlighting innovations, exceptional teams and visionary leaders.

The UAE demonstrated its strong commitment to advancing security and safety, securing eight awards across key categories, reinforcing its position as a leader in the region’s evolving security landscape.

This year’s awards introduced three new categories, reflecting the rapid evolution of the sector.

The CISO of the Year Award, in its inaugural edition, was awarded to Harrison Nnaji, Group Chief Information Security Officer at First Bank of Nigeria, for his leadership in strengthening cybersecurity resilience.

The Excellence in Testing, Evaluation and Certification Award was presented to Emirates Safety Laboratory LLC, recognising their contributions to enhancing fire safety standards in the MENA region.

Meanwhile, PwC Middle East was honoured with the Consulting Leadership in Fire Safety, Security and Cybersecurity Award for their role in developing secure and efficient environments.

Several long-standing categories continued to spotlight cutting-edge security advancements.

The Outstanding Commercial Security Solutions Award was awarded to Seagate Technology for its Mozaic 3+ hard drive platform, while the Premier Homeland Security Solutions Award went to Sensortec for its 320MP Panoramic Camera, enhancing large-scale video surveillance capabilities.

The Exemplary Perimeter Security Solutions Award recognised FIBER SENSYS INC for its EchoPoint EP9300 Series long-range intrusion detection sensors and the Security Project of the Year – Middle East & Africa accolade was presented to Red Sea Global for its pioneering work on security interoperability and resilience at the Red Sea and AMAALA projects.

The evening also honoured individuals and organisations driving transformation in security and fire protection.

The Outstanding Security Team Award was presented to the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) and Dr. Naseem Rafee, CEO of the Environment, Health and Safety Agency at Dubai Municipality, was recognised with the Women Trailblazers in Security and Fire Safety Award.

NAFFCO’s Falcon 6 firefighting and rescue vehicle earned the Fire Safety Innovation Award, highlighting the company’s dedication to advancing fire safety technology.

Intersec 2025: A valuable event

“Our booth has seen a lot of visitor traffic at Intersec this year, and even the last day of the show has been incredibly busy for us. This is a great opportunity to showcase our offerings, and we’ve noticed a strong presence from GCC as well as other international visitors.” – Noushad Abdul Salam, Procurement Manager, Edge

“We noticed significant footfall throughout the show […] It has been a successful show for us this year, in terms of business lead generation, visitor traffic at our stand and overall. We were able to connect with visitors from all over Asia, which was great. Intersec is probably the region’s biggest security event, and we’re happy to be exhibiting here.” – Adrian Leichti, Vice President – International Sales, Securiton

“Intersec has been great, and we’re very happy with the number and quality of visitors we’ve received at our stand. We were able to generate business leads as we’d hoped, and we’ve also been able to connect with visitors from the MENA region, which was good.” – Jean Baptiste De Winter, Owner, Elevate