Case Studies

After studying chemical engineering at university, you chose to pursue a career in health and safety. Why did you follow this path?
While studying chemical engineering, I completed an internship at a petrochemical plant. I was assigned to a department that was heavily focused on environmental compliance and monitoring. This early exposure to environmental risk and safety regulations sparked my interest in the broader field of HSE. I began to appreciate the critical role that health, safety, and environmental systems and staff play in protecting both people and operations, which ultimately influenced my decision to pursue HSE as a long-term career path.

You have over 23 years of health and safety experience and have worked in oil and gas, construction and logistics. What do you enjoy about being a health and safety professional?
What drives me is the impact we make—every safe return home, every prevented fatality and injury is a success. I've had the privilege of shaping safety cultures across different sectors, and each environment has reinforced the value of proactive engagement and continuous learning. Safety should never be confined to the health and safety department; instead, it must be embedded within the organisation’s culture and value system, extending throughout its supply chain. I enjoy mentoring teams, influencing leadership decisions, and embedding safety thinking into every layer of operations.

You completed your first NEBOSH qualification, the International Technical Certificate in Oil & Gas Operational Safety, in 2011. Can you share:

• Why you chose this qualification? - By the time I pursued this qualification, I already had a solid foundation in HSE through practical experience. During my tenure at Granite Construction Company in Abu Dhabi (2005–2008), I worked on ADNOC-related projects, which required adherence to high HSE standards in the oil and gas sector. Later, at Amana Group (2008–2016), I managed the EPC activities for oil and gas pipelines and terminals. These roles exposed me to the operational risks and safety challenges of the petroleum industry, prompting me to formalise my knowledge through the NEBOSH Oil and Gas Certificate, which was well aligned with the environments I had been working in.
• What benefits you gained from completing it? It strengthened my ability to manage complex safety systems in hazardous environments. It also enhanced my credibility with clients, auditors, and regulators, and deepened my understanding of process safety and operational risk.

In 2015, you went on to complete the NEBOSH International Diploma:

• Why did you take this qualification? I saw it as a strategic step to move from site-based safety to corporate HSE leadership. Taking the NEBOSH Diploma enabled me to expand beyond compliance into strategy, policy development, and global safety systems design.
• How did achieving your NEBOSH Diploma help you? It helped me transition into senior leadership roles, drive cultural change and integrate safety with sustainability. It sharpened my technical, analytical and problem-solving abilities, which are crucial when managing group-level responsibilities.

You joined Tristar Group in 2018 as Group HSEQ Manager. Can you tell us about the company and its safety ethos?
Tristar is a global energy logistics company headquartered in Dubai, which offers end to end fuel logistics solutions to clients including international and national oil companies and intergovernmental organisations. It operates in more than 30 countries across the GCC, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific.

Safety is a keystone of our operations. Our Integrated Management Systems and Road Safety Philosophy are both rooted in the 5Es:

• Enablement – Building ownership and authority at every level of the organisation.
• Education – Empowering staff with knowledge through regular training and awareness
• Engineering – Designing safety into systems, processes, and technology
• Execution – Ensuring standards are consistently upheld across regions.
• Engagement – Actively involving stakeholders so they adopt a culture of safety, collaboration and continual improvement.

Can you tell us what your role as Group HSEQ Manager entails?
I am responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of the Group’s Health, Safety, Environment and Quality functions. My role includes:

• Defining group-wide HSEQ governance, polices and standards
• Aligning global operations with ISO and local authority requirements
• Leading audits, training, and corporate HSEQ risk management programmes
• Acting as a central link between operational units, clients, and regulators

Tristar Group has an exemplary road safety record and was awarded the RoSPA Fleet Safety – Middle East Award in 2024. Why makes your company’s approach to road safety so effective?
Our approach is both technologically advanced and behaviourally rooted. Key initiatives include:

• Managing the Centralised Journey Global Control Tower – Which ensures structured journey management and route risk hazards mapping.
• Implementing In-Vehicle Monitoring System (IVMS) across the fleet – which helps us to track and assess vehicle activity and driver behaviour.
• Rolling out a 50-week Cultivating Barrier Thinking Campaign - which targeted low-performing drivers.
• Conducting In-cab assessments and real-time coaching - to identify and address any concerns 
• Regular toolbox talks and reflective learning -in dedicated “Blue Zones”

Tristar Group’s road safety awareness campaign is not limited to within the organisation. Can you share details of this?
One of our most impactful community initiatives is the Next Generation School Campaign, where we engage schoolchildren through interactive learning experiences, including mini road setups, go-karts, and safety demonstrations. I oversee the design and execution of this campaign, ensuring it aligns with our corporate social responsibility and road safety goals. Additionally, I collaborate with local authorities to expand its reach and evaluate its effectiveness in raising community awareness.

When you look back at your career to date, what are you most proud of?
I take pride in driving organisations from reactive safety compliance to proactive, ownership-driven cultures. At Tristar, we have recently added our 5th E—Engagement—to our Integrated Management Systems and Road Safety Philosophy. Its introduction is designed to strengthen collaboration with external stakeholders, including local authorities (RTA, MoE) and international NGOs, in support of the UN Decade of Action to reduce road fatalities and injuries by 50%. I also led the development of the Road Safety Excellence Hub, elevating safety standards to new levels. Our commitment has been recognised with prestigious international awards, including eight consecutive RoSPA Gold Awards and two Fleet Safety Trophies for the Middle East—testament to the collective impact we’ve achieved as a team.

What advice would you give to anyone who aspires to make health and safety their career?
Start with passion, stay grounded in learning, and remember that your job is to empower people, not police them. Our job is to connect hearts and minds with the safety concepts. Understand operations deeply, and always ask: “How can we make the workplace safer without making it harder?” If you walk the talk, people will follow your lead.