Dubai will host the International Security Leaders’ Summit at Intersec 2026, where aviation, government and infrastructure leaders will examine how extreme weather, new crisis regulations and rapidly shifting risk environments are reshaping airport operations. The event, taking place from 12–14 January at the Dubai World Trade Centre, will focus on how organisations prepare for, respond to and recover from crises under emerging global standards.
The discussions come as the aviation sector adapts to climate volatility and stricter crisis-management rules, including updated regulations led by the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority. Organisers say the summit will highlight how real-world disruptions, including the UAE’s heaviest rainfall on record, are influencing operational planning and leadership strategies across major airports.
Record rainfall underscores need for stronger crisis leadership
On 16 April 2024, the UAE experienced the most intense rainfall since national climate records began in 1949. The scale of the disruption became a defining test for Dubai Airports, which coordinated emergency response efforts across multiple agencies. David Warham, Head of Response & Recovery Planning at Dubai Airports, said the event demonstrated how crisis preparation determines the effectiveness of leadership during high-pressure situations.
“Effective crisis leadership is defined by calm decision-making, clarity of communication, and credible coordination under pressure. In aviation, where seconds matter and stakeholders span multiple agencies, leaders must translate uncertainty into direction,” said David Warham, Head of Response & Recovery Planning at Dubai Airports.
Warham noted that preparation remains the foundation of crisis response. “But effective leadership in a crisis begins long before the event itself. It’s built on preparedness, planning, and the discipline of regular scenario testing. True crisis leadership means projecting calm, inspiring trust, and making informed decisions even when information is incomplete,” he added.
Summit to explore new regional and global crisis regulations
The Security Leaders’ Summit will also address the implementation of the General Civil Aviation Authority’s Civil Aviation Regulation on Airport Crisis Management. Developed with airports across the UAE, the regulation aims to reshape how the aviation sector approaches crises, emergencies and operational disruptions, aligning the framework with international best practice.
Speakers will also examine a broader shift in airport operations as climate change, rapid development and large-scale infrastructure expansion introduce new layers of complexity. Warham said operating in the Middle East requires a collaborative response model. “Organisations in the Middle East operate in fast-growing, multicultural environments where critical infrastructure, government agencies, and private operators must work in harmony,” he said. “Building resilience here requires more than plans. It demands alignment, consistent joint training, and strong communication channels that transcend organisational boundaries.”
This integrated approach is reflected in Dubai Airports’ oneDXB community, which brings airlines, service providers and government entities together under a unified operational framework. “It ensures that when disruption occurs, we respond as one team with clarity, trust, and collective strength,” Warham said.
Warham will appear on a panel titled “Crisis Leadership Through Lived Experience,” joined by Amira G. AlMutairi, Director of Governance, Risk Management & Compliance at the Ministry of Communications & Information Technology; Peter O’Connell, Regional Security Director MESSA – Global Security at AtkinsRéalis; and Navaid Ahsan, Head of Aviation Security Operations at Etihad Airways. The session will be moderated by international security expert Glenn C. Schoen.
In addition, PwC will host a closed-door roundtable on crisis management across multiple sectors, with a white paper to be released post-event. Intersec 2026 will also feature the Fire & Rescue Conference, Health & Safety Conference, Access Control Theatre, Control Room Innovation Theatre, InCyber Briefing and the SIRA Forum, offering a wide programme covering safety, security and resilience.
The International Security Leaders’ Summit is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and supported by the General Command of Dubai Civil Defense and the Security Industry Regulatory Agency. Organisers say this year’s event will deepen cross-sector collaboration as global operators confront increasingly complex crises.
