UAE’s security, safety and fire experts secure top honours at Intersec Awards 2025

The Intersec 2025 Awards, held last night (Wednesday, 15 January) at the Ritz Carlton DIFC in Dubai, celebrated the most innovative and outstanding achievements in safety, security, and fire protection. This year's awards were a significant milestone for the UAE, with the country’s security, safety and fire protection professions securing an impressive eight out of 16 accolades across various categories.

The Intersec 2025 Awards, which recognised excellence in 16 diverse categories, highlighted the industry's innovation and unwavering commitment. The UAE secured notable wins in categories such as the Fire Safety Excellence Project – Middle East & Africa, the Fire Safety Innovation Award, and the highly anticipated Women Trailblazers in Security/Fire Safety Award.

This year’s awards attracted a record-breaking 1,421 entries from more than 30 countries, reflecting the dynamic growth of the global safety and security sector. The UAE’s stellar performance included standout wins from organisations including Dubai Civil Defense, Dubai Municipality, Ministry of Interior, Emirates Safety Laboratory LLC, NAFFCO, Luxury Owners Association Management Company LLC (LOAMS), Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), and Drydocks World, affirming the nation's drive to foster homegrown talent and innovation in collaboration with international expertise.

The Outstanding Fire Safety Team Award was claimed by both Drydocks World and Luxury Owners Association Management Company LLC (LOAMS), while the Rising Star Award for Emirati Talent went to Lt. Col. Dr. Humaid AL Ali, General Command of Civil Defense, Ministry of Interior, United Arab Emirates, whose exceptional contributions to the industry have set a benchmark for future professionals.

Meanwhile, the Cyber Hub of the Year Award was jointly presented to CultureAI for their Human Risk Management Platform and Hive Pro for their Uni5 Xposure Threat Exposure Management Platform.

The 2025 edition of the Intersec Awards introduced three new categories, each designed to reflect the rapidly evolving landscape of safety and security: Excellence in Testing, Evaluation, and Certification Award, CISO of the Year Award, and Consulting Leadership in Fire Safety, Security, and Cybersecurity Award.

In its debut year, the CISO of the Year Award was presented to Harrison Nnaji, Group Chief Information Security Officer, First Bank of Nigeria, for significantly enhancing the bank's cybersecurity posture, protecting sensitive information and ensuring the trust of customers and stakeholders.

The Excellence in Testing, Evaluation, and Certification Award recognised Emirates Safety Laboratory LLC for their transformative contributions to fire safety in the MENA region.

Meanwhile, the Consulting Leadership in Fire Safety, Security, and Cybersecurity Award was awarded to PwC Middle East for their contribution to creating safe, secure, and efficient environments.

Several long-standing categories also recognised trailblazing achievements in security, safety and fire protection. The Excellence in Fire Safety Award went to Detectortesters for the Testifire XTR2 while the Outstanding Safety Solutions Award was awarded to De Wipe for their decontamination wipes proven to eliminate harmful toxins from the skin.

The Fire Safety Excellence Project – Middle East & Africa accolade was claimed by Dubai Civil Defense for their global fire reduction initiative, and the Outstanding Commercial Security Solutions Award recognised Seagate Technology for Mozaic 3+ hard drive platform.

Meanwhile, the Premier Homeland Security Solutions Award was presented to Sensortec for the 320MP Panoramic Camera making the video surveillance of vast areas more effective.

The Exemplary Perimeter Security Solutions Award went to FIBER SENSYS INC for their EchoPoint EP9300™ Series long-range intrusion detection sensors while the Security Project of the Year - Middle East & Africa recognised Red Sea Global for the Red Sea and AMAALA Security Interoperability and Resilience project, ensuring interoperability and resilience for both projects in the face of a changing security environment.

The Outstanding Security Team Award recognised the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), and the Women Trailblazers in Security and Fire Safety Award celebrated Dr. Naseem Rafee, Chief Executive Officer of the Environment, Health, and Safety Agency at Dubai Municipality, as one of the foremost health and safety leaders in the region.

Finally, in a special award announced during the awards ceremony, the Fire Safety Innovation Award was awarded to NAFFCO for their Falcon 6 firefighting and rescue vehicle.

The awards, part of the 26th edition of Intersec, coincided with the largest edition of the event to date, with over 1,200 exhibitors from 61 countries showcasing cutting-edge advancements in security and safety technologies. With more than 52,000 visitors in attendance, Intersec 2025 reinforced its reputation as the world's premier safety and security platform.

Grant Tuchten, Portfolio Director at Messe Frankfurt Middle East,

 said: " As the curtains fall on this year's awards, the spotlight remains firmly on the individuals and organisations driving change in these critical sectors. This year, our new categories that highlight advancements in digital security, emerging technologies, and sustainability, reflecting the evolving priorities of the safety, security, and fire protection industries. These awards celebrate the dedication, innovation, and impact of industry leaders shaping a safer and more secure world. "