Security Middle East panel discussion talks security challenges and strategic planning for mega events

In a compelling panel discussion at the Security Middle East Conference this year, Craig Ross, Associate Director Safety & Security, Diriyah Company, opened the session by pointing out the ambitious strategic plan to increase the number of mega events in the region, while acknowledging the significant risks that keep security professionals awake at night.

Regina Dagueva, Safety and Security Operations, Committee of Qatar, shared her enthusiasm, stating: “In my personal opinion, it’s great that the Middle East is seeing so many events these days.”

She noted that many of these events share essential principles, requiring strategy and vision. Regina emphasised the importance of events creating positive legacies, adding, “One thing I want to mention, our previous panel session mentioned training; I wanted to add that training and regular exercises are necessary for a good event. You have a feeling you have everything planned out, but when an actual event happens, everything goes wrong. For me, regular exercises are necessary.”

Planning, she argued, is critical for these events. “During the planning period, it’s key to have a multi-layered governed approach,” she said.

Regina underlined that all participants should leave the planning period feeling confident about their roles and responsibilities. She also called for the establishment of command centres during events, insisting that “everything should be aligned.”

Mohamad Saad, MBA, Country Director KSA, Genetec, directed the conversation to the importance of daily security and managing Security Operations. He stressed the need for security information systems to connect various modules into an effective security programme, aiding operators in their decision-making processes. “Everyone is focusing on unification. What’s beyond? We expect progress; we are expecting over 15 million residents and visitors- imagine the flow of data. This is where intelligent systems come in- to help us operate,” he stated.

While the Security Middle East Conference may not yet qualify as a mega event, the insights shared during the panel provided valuable lessons on the complexities of planning and securing large-scale spectacles. Special thanks were extended to the panellists: Ahmed E Alshammari, Security Operations Expert, Regina Dagueva, Mohamad Saad, Craig Ross, for their invaluable contributions.

Find the full discussion here.