International Fire and Safety Journal’s official preview of the ISFJ Leaders in Fire and Safety Conference, held in association with MSA, The Safety Company. By Duncan J. White, IFSJ Managing Editor.

On 11 May 2023, the ISFJ Leaders in Fire and Safety conference will bring together over 120 of the most influential figures from the Middle East and Africa fire and safety industry to deliver a high-class business forum that focuses on business strategy, latest trends, regulations and innovations from the region.

Working alongside key associations, regional authorities, leading manufacturers and innovative solutions providers, this much-anticipated conference – which is taking place at The Grosvenor Hotel, Dubai Marina – will provide a unique platform for the very best fire and safety companies and personnel in the region to network with one another and learn from the host of influential speakers in attendance.

Connecting likeminded senior fire and safety professionals throughout the course of this one day, invite-only event, the ISFJ Leaders in Fire and Safety Conference is taking a closer look at the key topics influencing the region from a fire and safety perspective whilst exploring the biggest challenges facing organisations in the Middle East and beyond. By utilising interactive panel discussions and face-to-face networking opportunities, delegates can anticipate high level conversations which will explore key areas for business growth in the region.

This event will bring together regional fire and safety leadership professionals from all facets of the industry, who all have a single goal, to promote and enhance professional fire and safety practices and develop understanding of an ever-evolving industry. Those attending the ISFJ Leaders in Fire and Safety Conference will get to hear from a wealth of industry experts working in and around the Middle East and Africa region.

As well as its proud partnership with Dubai Civil Defense, the IFSJ Leaders in Fire and Safety Conference is also delighted to be working alongside The Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE). From a technology perspective, the conference has also attracted a significant amount of interest from solutions providers and manufacturers including MSA, Global Fire Equipment, Dafo Fomtec, Reacton, Performance Advantage Company, Nightstick, PBI Performance Products and De-Wipe.

The ISFJ Leaders in Fire and Safety Conference is pivotal in promoting higher standards of fire and safety in the region. The UAE is a rapidly evolving region, with fascinating new approaches and advancements in fire and safety. This event will offer an insight into a few of these, by leading regional fire and safety subject matter experts.

Everything you need to know

Hosted by Centurian Media Ltd, IFSJ’s Leaders in Fire & Safety Conference will bring together leading figures from the Middle East fire and safety industries to deliver a high-class business forum that focuses on business strategy, the latest trends, new regulations and the most exciting innovations from the region.

Taking place at The Grosvenor Hotel, Dubai Marina on Thursday 11 May 2023, the one-day in-person conference will focus on the most important topics and verticals from the fire and safety sector, with expert commentary and views provided by our advisory panel, conference speakers, industry expert panellists and a host of high-profile influencers.

Who is involved?

The Conference, held in association with MSA Safety, will bring together over 120 of the region’s senior fire and safety professionals to network and share ideas on the latest trends and developments impacting the fire and safety sectors in the Middle East.

As well as its proud partnership with Dubai Civil Defense, the IFSJ Leaders in Fire and Safety Conference is also delighted to be working alongside The Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE).

From a technology perspective, the conference is being supported by an elite range of solutions providers and manufacturers including MSA Safety, Global Fire Equipment, Dafo Fomtec, Reacton, Performance Advantage Company, Nightstick, PBI Performance Products and De-Wipe. Hear from our sponsors (p42-54) about their view on the Middle East Market and why they are looking forward to the exclusive event.

In late 2022, International Fire and Safety Journal announced MSA as the event’s Platinum Partner. Jason Traynor, General Manager, Global Fire Service for MSA Safety, said: “At MSA Safety, we’re proud of the strong relationships we have built in the Middle East since we opened our first office in Dubai in the early 1980s.  We’re proud to partner with IFSJ for Leaders in Fire to continue to advance the strong relationships we have built in the Middle East since we opened our first office in Dubai in the early 1980s. Bringing together leaders in the industry in a platform like this will help ensure the very best protective equipment is available to firefighters on the front line, wherever they are in the world.”

The Conference Chair

International Fire & Safety Journal is pleased to announce that Terry Johnson, Manager Crisis Preparedness & Emergency Response – Group HSE Department, ENOC, and recently appointed Regional President of the Institution of Fire Engineer’s GCC UAE branch, will Chair the inaugural IFSJ Leaders in Fire & Safety Conference.

“I am extremely proud to be Chairing the inaugural IFSJ Leaders in Fire & Safety Event,” said Johnson. “This will be an excellent opportunity to bring together the most influential leaders from across the region, and further afield, to discuss current high-level issues and to explore opportunities for greater collaboration in the future.”

Advisory panel

David Campbell, General Manager, Dubai Civil Defense’s Emirates Safety Laboratory, and Robert Davies BSc (Hons) MSc CEng MIFireE CFPS, Operations Director at WSP in the Middle East have joined advisory panel for the inaugural IFSJ Leaders in Fire & Safety Conference.

Campbell and Davies join fellow advisory panel members Mark Buckingham, Head of Emergency Preparedness at Abu Dhabi Airports, John Cowling, Security & Safety Specialist, Sinclair Duffie, Chief Fire Officer at Nawah Energy Company, Jonathan O’Neill OBE, Managing Director of the Fire Protection Association, and Conference Chair Terry Johnson, IFE GCC UAE Branch President and Technical Service Manager – Group HSE Department, Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC).

The advisory panel have been instrumental in supporting the event and sharing their expertise, providing insight into the biggest challenges facing the Middle East and the issues which are keeping fire and safety professionals up at night. Thanks to their support, guidance and influence, the conference is surely the must-attend event for all leaders in fire and safety in the region.

On the agenda

After an introduction from Terry Johnson, Conference Chair, delegates will have the pleasure of being greeted by H.E. Brigadier Expert Ali Hassan Al Mutawa, Assistant Director-General of Dubai Civil Defense for Fire and Rescue Affairs, who will be presenting the Keynote Address and laying out the roadmap for fire and safety in Dubai throughout the rest of 2023 and beyond.

Panellists will be focussing their discussions on topics such as:  fire safety in buildings and construction, improving sustainability in the fire industry, the changing role of facilities management, equipment for the modern firefighter, industrial and airport firefighting challenges, the Middle East fire and safety landscape, firefighter health and safety, digital innovation, new constructions methods, fire and safety regulations, recruitment and training, product certification, integrated life safety systems and

The deadline for speaker submissions for the IFSJ Leaders in Fire & Safety conference is 24th March 2023, so if you have experience and skills that you would like to share in order to help other professionals within the region, contact Iain Hoey at [email protected].

This article was originally published in the March edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.