Human risk in supply chains in the Middle East
Middle East organisations are increasingly facing vulnerabilities in their supply chains due to in human behaviour. This topic will take centre stage at the Security Leaders’ Summit during Intersec 2025, where security industry thought leaders will explore the intricate relationship between human actions and supply chain security.
The 26th edition of Intersec, the world’s leading trade fair for safety, security, and fire protection, will take place from 14-16 January 2025 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).
Speaking ahead of the Summit, where he will highlight the impact of human fallibility on security measures, Stuart Frost, BEM, Head of Enterprise Security and Risk Management within the UK Government, said: “The primary risk in any supply chain is not just the failure of security controls, but the fact that “humans are fallible and make mistakes simply because they are human.”
According to Kamco Invest’s GCC Projects Market Update in January 2024, the UAE’s contract awards increased to US$79.5 billion in 2023, doubling the US$29.7 billion recorded in 2022.
Frost explains that security is often secondary in contract awards, overshadowed by business, financial, and commercial priorities. He emphasises that while security is essential, it rarely drives contract decisions, making thorough risk analysis crucial for informed decision-making that balances all business imperatives.
Organisations in the Middle East face specific challenges where supply chain risks are compounded by the region’s unique geopolitical and economic dynamics. Many organisations fail to assess the risks posed by their lower-tier suppliers, leading to potential domino effects.
“Supply chain breaches can threaten the very survival of an organisation and, if resilience is not built into the system, the organisation might not be able to recover from such an event,” Frost added. “Post-contract assurance should be performed at least annually to ensure the controls are still effective and the risk position is managed.”
Intersec 2025 is set to be the largest edition in its history, with over 1,200 exhibitors from 60 countries and more than 52,000 expected visitors. The Security Leaders’ Summit will be a highlight of the event, offering industry professionals the opportunity to gain critical insights into sustainable security practices and geopolitical risk intelligence, among other pressing topics.
Grant Tuchten, Portfolio Director at Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: “As supply chains become increasingly complex and intertwined, understanding the risks and implementing effective security measures are paramount. This session will provide invaluable guidance for organisations looking to fortify their supply chain security.”
Intersec 2025 will also feature a range of other high-impact conference programmes, including the Safety & Health Conference, Fire & Rescue Conference, and the new Intersec Policing Conference, providing a platform for innovation, collaboration, and exchanging ideas among global security professionals.
About Intersec
Intersec, in its 26th edition, is the world-leading business event for the global safety and security industry value chain. The event brings together suppliers, thought-leaders, innovators, manufacturers, and buyers face to face to discuss leading-edge technology, see the very latest products and solutions across a wide range of industries and business sectors, and conduct business. The upcoming edition takes place from the 14-16 January 2025 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and is staged under the theme ‘The world’s number one event mapping the future in safety, security and fire protection’.
About Messe Frankfurt
The Messe Frankfurt Group is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With a workforce of some 2,300 people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 28 subsidiaries, it organises events around the world. Group sales in financial year 2023 were more than € 600 million. We serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of Messe Frankfurt’s key strengths is its powerful and closely knit global sales network, which covers around 180 countries in all regions of the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are using our digital expertise to develop new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services.
About Messe Frankfurt Middle East
Messe Frankfurt Middle East’s portfolio of exhibitions includes: Intersec, Intersec Saudi Arabia, Automechanika Dubai, Automechanika Riyadh, Beautyworld Middle East, Beautyworld Saudi Arabia, Gifts & Lifestyle Middle East, Logimotion, Light + Intelligent Building Middle East and Paperworld Middle East. In the 2023/24 event season, Messe Frankfurt Middle East exhibitions combined featured 6,324 exhibitors from over 60 countries and attracted 224,106 visitors from 156 countries.
About Stuart Frost, BEM
Stuart Frost, BEM, is head of Enterprise Security and Risk Management within the UK Government. An accomplished speaker, Start has taken part in events across the UK, Europe, USA and Asia. He was named as one of the UK’s top 50 Tech Leaders and a top 30 Transformational Change Leader in May 2024 for his role in driving innovation and change across the security sector. He was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in 2017 for his services to the local community and in 2023 was also the proud recipient of the Coronation medal in recognition of his security input to the Coronation of King Charles III.
