Intersec conferences bringing industry experts to Dubai

Four conferences at Intersec 2023 boast incredible topics and 150 international speakers.

As the world’s leading trade fair for safety, security and fire protection, Intersec has a well-deserved reputation as the place for trade professionals to expand their knowledge.

The 2023 edition, taking place 17 – 19 January at Dubai World Trade Centre, will feature a reinvigorated conference programme, with four streams and two special feature events, each specifically designed to bring together the best and brightest minds in their respective market sector to offer the most value to attendees.

Developed in conjunction with the UAE’s respective government entities in order to create dedicated programmes that provide actionable insights and address the specific challenges in the Middle East, the agendas offer true value to attendees as well as featuring around 150 leading speakers from the region and around the world.

Hosted under the theme of “Integrated tech for global security: Protection, Disruption, Sustainability”, the conference programme at Intersec 2023 features content for the complete ecosystem of emergency services, security and safety all under one roof.

The four conferences taking place within the exhibition include the Security Leaders’ Summit, Cybersecurity Conference hosted by the UAE Cybersecurity Council, the Fire & Rescue Conference hosted by Dubai Civil Defense and the Safety & Health Seminar. In addition, the Dubai Government’s Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA) will once again hold the SIRA Forum during Intersec.

The Cybersecurity Conference, hosted by UAE Cybersecurity Council, will run for all three days of Intersec 2023 and topics will focus on the latest trends, drivers, challenges and successful case studies across industries that are playing a substantial role in shaping the cybersecurity industry growth.

Attendees will hear from the government leaders and CSOs and CISOs across the oil and gas industry, BFSI, healthcare and hospitality as well as energy and utilities in these CPD-certified sessions. Panellists from Petrofac, Dubai Airports, Mubadala Investment Company, King Hamad University Hospital and a Leading Energy Critical infrastructure company will examine Improving Critical Infrastructure Resilience in a Converging IT/OT World in a discussion moderated by Khalid Ansari, Principal Cybersecurity Engineer at FM Approvals; Talal Alasmi, Director of Information Security at Department of Electronic Information Security in the Ministry of Education will present on Creating Cyber Minds: The New Age Talent Gap.

Other topics addressed will include blockchain cybersecurity, ransomware attacks and data protection as well as lessons learned from smart city projects.

The Fire & Rescue conference is hosted by Dubai Civil Defence and comprises some of the most prominent fire and emergency service leaders from across the region, in addition to those from further afield, running for three days from the 17 – 19 January.

As electric vehicles gain popularity among the public, Michael James Kelly, Fire Safety Officer at Savills Property Management in the UK will address the operational capabilities for dealing with lithium-ion battery fires as well as thermal runaway in EV cars and scooters. A panel discussion of Fire Safety and sustainability – approaching the net zero challenge will feature panellists including Vinay Deshpande, Technical Director, Fire & Life Safety, WSP; Steven Reilly, Principal Engineer, Fire and Life Safety Lead MENA, Cundall and Susan Lamont, Director of Fire Safety at Arup; Ian Moore, Chief Executive Officer of the Fire Industry Association (FIA) will discuss Defining Competence for Building a Safer Future.

Attendees will benefit from insights from these key fire professionals in addition many others, and sessions are CPD certified.

The two day Safety & Health Seminar on 17 and 18 January has been curated to provide attendees with the means to navigate the latest UAE and other MENA regulatory changes and align with global best practices to deliver a strong health and safety culture suitable for the current environment. Eng. Mohamed Abdulla Al Marzooqi, Head of Accident Investigations team – Health & Safety Department at Dubai Municipality will present a case study of Dubai Municipality’s efforts and ensuring health and safety in the Emirate.

Other key learnings will include lessons on Managing HSE for Mega Projects, where attendees can hear from Dr Rob Cooling, Executive Director of HSEQ, NEOM, which will take place on day two of the conference, which is a dedicated NEBOSH day. Other sessions will include governance and leadership in HSE, the impact of enterprise risk management in today’s business environment and strategies for best practice.

The Security Leaders’ Summit will take place within Intersec 2023 on 17- 18 January and the agenda has been curated to address high level themes including government strategies, homeland security and policing, commercial and perimeter security and cutting-edge technologies.

The invited attendees will hear from key industry leaders who will share real world learnings and knowledge, as well as discussing the path into the future. Following a keynote address by Major General Dr. Ahmed Naser Al Raisi, Inspector General, UAE Ministry of Interior and President of Interpol; the agenda includes an on-stage conversation with Helmut Spahn, Director – Safety, Security and Access at FIFA on a holistic approach to large event security: turning lessons into action; discussing the lessons learned from the recent World Cup in Qatar.

Key sessions on day two will include hearing from Dr Bushra Al Blooshi, Head of research and Innovation, Dubai Electronic Security Centre (DESC) who will examine Integrated and Innovative Smart Secured Services Ecosystem and a session on Best Practices for Supply Chain Security and Future Roadmap from Adrian Whelan, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Security at DHL.

Other confirmed speakers include H.E. Dr Mohamed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, Head of the UAE Cyber Security Council and Lt. Colonel Dana Humaid, Director General – International Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Interior, among many others.

In addition to the four conference streams, Intersec 2023 will also include a forum from the Dubai Government’s Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA) featuring presentations, knowledge sharing on practical implementations and audience question sessions. This one day forum on 19 January will be much more interactive than in previous years and beneficial for all the security industry stakeholders.

The Tech Stage feature at Intersec 2023 will also provide three days of speaking sessions from key Intersec 2023 Exhibitors including Astrophysics Inc, AXIS Communications and Dahua Technology MENA. The Tech Stage, SIRA Forum, Safety & Health Seminar, Fire & Rescue Conference and Cybersecurity Conference are all open to attend for any trade visitors to Intersec 2023, while the Security Leaders’ Summit at Intersec 2023 is by invitation only.

To find out more or register to attend Intersec 2023, please visit the website.