IFSJ Leaders in Fire & Safety Event

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9th May 2024

The meeting place for senior fire and safety professionals

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

Taking place at The Grosvenor Hotel, Dubai Marina, this 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 panelists and a host of high profile influencers.

9th May 2024

“The event has been fantastic today. It’s really good to see so many passionate people from around the fire safety industry in one room, and what a better place to have it than where I call home. It’s been fantastic: from the panels to the speeches to networking in general, it’s been a really worthwhile day.”

“The inaugural IFSJ Leaders in Fire & Safety Conference was a testament to the determination of the IFSJ team, the valuable collaboration with the Institution Of Fire Engineers, and the unwavering support of Dubai Civil Defence. Their combined efforts made the event an unprecedented success, fostering meaningful dialogues that I believe will have lasting impacts on the fire and safety sector. As I eagerly anticipate returning as Chair for the next conference, I am committed to building on our achievements, driving further advancements, and continuing to create a platform for sharing knowledge and innovations.”

120+ fire & safety leaders in one place at one time
A wide range of expert speakers covering the hottest topics in the fire and safety industry
See the latest technology from some of the industry’s biggest vendors
Multiple opportunities to network and share knowledge with your peers

100+ fire and safety leaders in one place at one time
A wide range of expert speakers covering the hottest topics in fire and safety
See the latest technology from some of the industry’s biggest vendors
Multiple opportunities to network and share knowledge with your peers

“It was a great day – I want to thank IFSJ for organising this amazing conference and for opening the topic of health and wellbeing in the workplace. Thank you everyone and see you next year.”

Terry Johnson

Conference Chair

Terry Johnson’s career began in the UKFRS and progressed to international development with the United Nations Development Program (UNIDO) as an ‘Technical Assistant Expert’ Fire Safety Training in the Oil & Gas sector. He spent some time at the Fire Service College UK looking at international development subsequently seconded to Dubai Civil Defence (DCD) UAE.

He represented DCD on various Emergency Crisis committees and working groups as a Senior Fire, Rescue & Emergency Services Professional, disciplined for All Operational requirements, including Major Emergency Incident planning and crisis liaison. Now, Johnson is currently engaged by Emirates National Oil Company ENOC, looking at sustainable and environmental solutions to match the resilience needed for asset and response team protection for ENOC assets.

Engineer Salma Al Ali

Head of Engineering Section, Dubai Civil Defense

Engineer Salma Humaid Saeed AlAli is an accomplished fire safety engineer at Dubai Civil Defense. Her work plays a critical role in ensuring buildings and structures in Dubai meet the highest fire safety standards.

She has helped implement fire safety regulations and codes, delivered presentations at various conferences, and worked closely with architects, contractors, and engineers to promote fire safety education and training. Her contributions have been recognised numerous times, and she continues to make Dubai a safer place for residents through her expertise in fire safety engineering.

Mark Buckingham

Head of Emergency Preparedness at Abu Dhabi Airports

Mark Buckingham is an industry professional of some 27 years, having started his career with Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service in the UK. Progressing through the ranks to Station Officer, he took the opportunity to diversify his fire career by taking a role as Deputy Senior Officer at Luton Airport.

Changes over the next few years saw him achieve approval to operate a Civil Aviation Fire Training College in the UK, before moving to the UAE, operating initially an Emergency Response contract in an Industrial mega project. In July 2022, Mark accepted has been developing the Emergency Planning function within the 5 airports of the Abu Dhabi Airport Company.

Sinclair Duffie

Chief Fire Officer, Nawah Energy Company

Sinclair Duffie joined the Scottish Fire Service in 1983 with Central Region Fire Brigade. In 1993, he moved into Fire Prevention as Station Officer in and remained there and promoted to Station Manager in 2004. Duffie spent the remaining nine years of service between operations, training, and community safety before retiring in early 2012 with 29 years’ service.

In 2012, Duffie joined ADNOC offshore operations on Das Island as Incident Command System Coordinator responsible for major incidents response planning and development. In 2017, he joined Nawah as a Team Leader. He was promoted to his current position which he has been held since 2018. Duffie has been active on the Middle East conference circuit. He currently lives in Al Dhannah city in Abu Dhabi.

Sawsan Dahham

CEO of SIENA

Sawsan Dahham, CEO of SIENA, leads an engineering consultancy dedicated to advancing the fire and life safety engineering industry worldwide. With 17 years in specialist engineering consultancy, fire and life safety (FLS) design strategy, and business management, she's an established expert.

Authorised as an NFPA instructor and a noted speaker, Sawsan formerly served as the Global Head of Fire and Life Safety at Dar Al Hadassah. There, she amassed significant experience in designing, reviewing, and managing diverse projects ranging from mixed-use complexes and airports to healthcare facilities across the Arab Gulf, Middle East, and Africa.

Dana Kamal

NFPA -Director, International Development (MENA), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Dana Kamal brings 22 years of experience in healthcare engineering, specialising in business development, project facilities, and education. Recently appointed as the NFPA Director of International Development (MENA), she focuses on regulatory, legislative, and technical aspects.

Kamal champions building safety and fire protection standards, promoting code compliance in the built environment. She also leads the NFPA MENA Advisory Committee to achieve its regional vision and liaises with sector leaders. Holding a bachelor's in biomedical engineering and a master's in healthcare management, Dana possesses certifications from IBFCSM, e-Cornell, and IMAC. She's an active member of ASHE and AHA.

Ghaith Bakir

Senior Regulatory Engineer at UL Solutions

Ghaith Bakir is a Senior Regulatory Engineer at UL Solutions, specialising in regulatory support across the Middle East and Africa. Based in Dubai, he offers technical expertise in regulations, codes, standards, and product installations, aiding various stakeholders such as regulatory authorities and manufacturers in code compliance.

Ghaith represents UL Solutions in code development meetings, delivering technical presentations. Before UL, he was a project engineer for a top fire and life safety solution provider in the UAE, overseeing the installation and maintenance of fire protection systems. He also served as a fire engineer for a Dubai developer, focusing on fire safety management and ensuring compliance with global fire safety norms.

Robert Davies BSc (Hons) MSc CEng MIFireE CFPS

Operations Director at WSP in the Middle East

Robert Davies has over 20 years' experience in the field of fire safety engineering with expertise in fire engineering solutions, fire safety strategies, liaison with local authorities, fire risk assessments, fire safety management, fire testing, fire safety in large mixed use/high rise developments and industrial projects, 15+ years of experience of living and working in various countries within the Middle East region and liaising with local authorities. He is also a Chartered Fire Engineer with the Engineering Council UK, a Certified Fire Protection Specialist by NFPA.

In October 2010 Davies returned to the UAE and joined WSP as Head of Fire & Life Safety. He is now the Operations Director for Advisory Services within WSP in the Middle East.

Fire and Safety visionaries gather for Dubai conference

See all the highlights from the IFSJ Leaders in Fire and Safety Conference 2023 as 302 of the most senior fire and safety professionals from the Middle East & Africa region and beyond gathered at The Grosvenor Hotel, Dubai Marina, UAE on 11 May.

Themes such as crisis management, sustainability and health and wellbeing were examined by panellists and presenters working in key roles across the industry. Participants at the event included notable figures such as the Head of the Engineering Section at Dubai Civil Defense, Chief Fire Officer at Nawah Energy Company, and a Senior Consultant for Fire & Life Safety at WSP.

“With more than 30 years of experience in marketing, I can honestly say the Leaders in Fire & Safety Conference here in Dubai has been one of the best organised and executed events I’ve been to in this region or indeed anywhere over the last few years.”

SOLD OUT

We apologise to anyone that has missed out on the opportunity to register for a chance to attend the IFSJ Leaders in Fire and Safety Conference 2023, but the event is now at maximum capacity and is SOLD OUT.

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IFSJ Leaders in Fire & Safety Conference

9th May 2024

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9th May 2024

The meeting place for senior fire and safety professionals

9th May 2024

Sam Malins

Terry Johnson

IFSJ Conference

Why attend?

Sawsan Dahham

Our Team

Meet our advisory panel

Terry Johnson

Conference Chair

Engineer Salma Al Ali

Head of Engineering Section, Dubai Civil Defense

Mark Buckingham

Head of Emergency Preparedness at Abu Dhabi Airports

David Campbell

General Manager, Dubai Civil Defense’s Emirates Safety Laboratory

Sinclair Duffie

Chief Fire Officer, Nawah Energy Company

Sawsan Dahham

CEO of SIENA

Dana Kamal

NFPA -Director, International Development (MENA), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Ghaith Bakir

Senior Regulatory Engineer at UL Solutions

Robert Davies BSc (Hons) MSc CEng MIFireE CFPS

Operations Director at WSP in the Middle East

Peter Stephenson BEng (Hons) Fire Engineering, FIFireE

Director, Hydrock Fire Safety Division

2023 Event

Take a look at the highlights from last year

Fire and Safety visionaries gather for Dubai conference

Testimonial

Paul Davison

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