Experts dwell on security risks at ASIS conference
Manama : The threat posed by technology and piracy were among topics covered at the closing day of the ASIS Middle East 2017.
The major security and defence conference closed yesterday with participation of hundreds of professionals from all over the world. The event addressed the key trends and issues facing senior executives in the region whose roles require dealing with a complex mix of physical security, cyber-security and management issues.
The event featured a number of keynote speeches and panel discussions. One of the featured talk was by Wilfried Covent, senior security expert, Brussels Airport Company of Belgium, who spoke about his personal experience from Brussels Airport on March 22, 2016 when two suicide bomb explosions killed 16 and seriously injured 150.
Other speakers for the event included Orhan Topcu, senior regional security manager MEA, Global Security, Microsoft, Turkey, Paul Moxness, vice president, Corporate Safety and Security, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Belgium and Dr. Muhammad M. Al-Saggaf senior vice president of operations and business services, Saudi Aramco, KSA.
The opening day on Monday featured sessions on mitigating security risks in driver-less vehicles, protecting critical infrastructure, which protect hospitals and forming public-private partnership to enhance security.
Yesterday featured topics such as maritime security and cyber-security. In his session titled ‘Maritime security Mindset’ Captain John Thompson, Chief of Staff, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), U.S Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) said that amount or ransom seized by pirates had risen exponentially in recent decades. He said that amounts seized by pirates as ransom was $238 million in 2010. “The average ransom have risen to $5.4 million, this became very lucrative for them,” he said.
He said that CMF consists of 32 nations united to fight threats at sea. “The nations that participate in CMF dictate what they do, some nations choose to participate in everything, others, just counter piracy. Everyone hates pirates, it’s an easy mission for people to get behind. CMF is the prominent provider of counter piracy enforcement. We work closely with ships from the EU, India, Russia and the Middle East to suppress piracy,” he said.
Answering a question from the audience about the risks associated with the growth of technology, Godfried Hendriks, Secretary of the Board of Directors of ASIS International said growth of technology is inevitable despite the risks it poses.
“There are great risks associated with the growth of technology. But automation is unstoppable, unless you have a law against it. Automation will always move forward because it will deliver a profit. Unless the whole world puts a halt to the development of automation by way of legislation, it will continue, “ he said.
An exhibition, showcasing the latest in the defence industry, ran parallel to the forum at Ritz Carlton Hotel. The event was organized by ASIS International.
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