Aviation crisis leadership in focus as Dubai Airports shares real-world insights ahead of Intersec 2026

• Effective crisis leadership is defined by calm decision-making, clarity of communication, and credible coordination under pressure
• April 2024’s record-breaking rainfall in Dubai reinforced the importance of planning, trust, and multi-agency readiness

• Key discussions on resilience, leadership, and collaboration will shape the agenda at the Intersec 2026 International Security Leaders’ Summit, taking place from 12-14 January in Dubai

Dubai, UAE: With extreme weather and new crisis regulations reshaping aviation operations, leadership readiness has become a mission-critical priority for how organisations plan, respond to, and recover from crises.

These will be among the key themes at the International Security Leaders’ Summit at Intersec 2026, where leaders from government, aviation, and national infrastructure will discuss how real-world experience influences their leadership strategies amid disruption.

One of the most extreme operational tests the UAE has faced in recent years underscores this importance. On 16 April 2024, the UAE witnessed the heaviest rainfall on record, which the National Centre of Meteorology described as an exceptional event in the UAE’s climate history since the start of recording climate data in 1949.

For David Warham, Head of Response & Recovery Planning at Dubai Airports, effective crisis leadership is centred on preparation and pointed to the event as a lesson in the value of pre-crisis planning, saying that the scale of coordination required extended far beyond the airport boundary, highlighting more than ever the power of planning and preparation.

During the Security Leaders’ Summit at Intersec 2026, taking place from 12-14 January at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Warham will discuss how challenges such as record rainfall have shaped his team’s approach to leading through disruption in one of the world’s busiest aviation environments.

“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 Warham.

According to the resilience and emergency planning expert, being prepared is the foundation of leadership in any high-pressure situation: “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.”

Operating in a region characterised by rapid development, climate volatility, and complex stakeholder environments, Dubai Airports has developed an integrated crisis response model built on collaboration.

“Organisations in the Middle East operate in fast-growing, multicultural environments where critical infrastructure, government agencies, and private operators must work in harmony,” added Warham. “Building resilience here requires more than plans. It demands alignment, consistent joint training, and strong communication channels that transcend organisational boundaries.”

This approach is reflected in the airport’s oneDXB community, which brings together service providers, airlines, and government entities under a shared mission.

“It ensures that when disruption occurs, we respond as one team with clarity, trust, and collective strength,” Warham concluded.

Warham will take part in a high-profile panel session titled “Crisis Leadership Through Lived Experience” at the International Security Leaders’ Summit, where he will be 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 Chair of the Security Institute’s Middle East Members Group; and Navaid Ahsan, Head of Aviation Security Operations at Etihad Airways.

The session will be moderated by Glenn C. Schoen, an international security expert, author, and CEO of a leading security and crisis management improvement service company.

Topics of discussion are likely to include the General Civil Aviation Authority’s (GCAA) Civil Aviation Regulation on Airport Crisis Management. Designed to shift how airports prepare for, respond to, and recover from crises, emergencies, and operational disruptions, the regulation has been developed in close collaboration with airports across the UAE and is based on international best practices. This follows an announcement last year by H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum regarding the Executive Council Resolution No. (30) of 2024 pertaining to the Dubai Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management.

Furthermore, PwC will host a closed-door roundtable discussion focusing on the significance of crisis management across various sectors and fields, with a white paper to be published after the event.

The International Security Leader’s Summit is one of Intersec 2026’s flagship knowledge platforms, tackling urgent topics such as AI governance, human risk, cross-sector collaboration, and aligning national strategy with security innovation.

Dishan Isaac, Show Director of Intersec at Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: “The Security Leaders’ Summit brings together diverse voices from across government, aviation, and critical infrastructure to share lived experience and actionable insights. It reinforces Intersec’s commitment to advancing resilience, collaboration, and security leadership across the region.”

In addition to the Security Leaders’ Summit, Intersec 2026 will also feature the Fire & Rescue Conference, the Health & Safety Conference, the Access Control Theatre, the Control Room Innovation Theatre, the  InCyber Briefing and the SIRA Forum, offering attendees a comprehensive programme of specialised content tailored to today’s evolving security, safety, and fire protection industries.

The event is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and benefits from the strategic support of the General Command of Dubai Civil Defense (DCD) and the Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA).