The future of safety and risk: Insight from Aqueel Khawaja FIIRSM

What are you working on?
I am currently leading the health, safety and risk management strategy for Qiddiya, the world’s largest entertainment and amusement park, under construction just outside Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. It is a centrepiece of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, and my mandate is to ensure its delivery within a zero-harm, risk-intelligent and sustainable operational framework.

I oversee complex and high-risk construction activities, contractor HSE performance, regulatory alignment, emergency preparedness and implementation of internationally benchmarked safety systems. In addition to Qiddiya, I’ve supported DAR’s critical engagements across Riyadh Municipality, the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), and the Ministry of Interior – ensuring occupational health, process safety and environmental protection standards are rigorously upheld in every phase.

How is your experience contributing to the Saudi Arabia 2030 vision?
My professional journey is deeply woven into the fabric of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transformation. At King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, I served as the Aerodrome HSE Manager, responsible for operational safety in a live aviation environment while collaborating with GACA and JEDCO. I was instrumental in risk-controlling aircraft ground operations, ensuring the interface between construction and aviation operations was managed with precision and without compromise to safety.

Furthermore, I’ve led HSE efforts at the Red Sea Islands offshore developments, specifically at Umhaat Al Shaikh, Sheybara, and Shura Islands, driving safety in marine construction, remote logistics, and environmentally sensitive ecosystems. These roles demanded not just technical skill, but strategic safety leadership, aligning infrastructure growth with environmental sustainability and regulatory compliance – key pillars of Vision 2030.

Whether in aviation, tourism, infrastructure or smart-city development, I bring forward a proactive and forward-thinking HSE mindset that empowers teams to deliver safely, responsibly and with resilience. I have also had the privilege of contributing to global benchmarks such as Dubai EXPO 2020, and today I proudly continue this legacy as an integral part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

What is the most important skill you have developed for your work?
The most valuable skill I’ve developed is transformational safety leadership grounded in risk intelligence. I’ve moved beyond compliance to drive a culture of ownership, accountability and continuous improvement. I specialise in high-stakes HSE decision-making, embedding ISO-based management systems, leading incident investigations, conducting risk assessments and shaping emergency response frameworks for complex environments.

I’ve also honed my capabilities in interdisciplinary communication and stakeholder influence – key to managing risk on mega-projects involving multiple international contractors, regulatory bodies and culturally diverse teams.

You are a recent Fellow – why was the time right for you to apply and how do you feel about this achievement?
Earning my Fellowship with IIRSM is both a career milestone and a personal honour. With over 15 years of HSE and risk leadership experience across high-risk sectors, I felt the time was right to formally reflect the scale and impact of my contributions.

Becoming a Fellow of IIRSM has further strengthened my professional identity as a global safety leader. It validates not only my technical expertise but my dedication to mentoring others, advancing the discipline and representing risk management as a strategic value creator. I now engage with the IIRSM community to exchange ideas, raise standards and promote risk-based thinking as a catalyst for change in the region and beyond.

What do you do in your spare time?
In my spare time, I remain deeply engaged in the evolving landscape of occupational health, safety, and integrated risk management. I dedicate time to researching global HSE innovations, analysing emerging trends in high-reliability project environments and studying accident case studies and incident data to continuously sharpen my decision-making capabilities.

I also invest in professional development, whether through advanced training, webinars or reading industry-leading publications, to ensure I stay ahead of regulatory changes, digital transformation in HSE (such as AI and smart PPE) and behavioural safety techniques. This commitment to continuous learning enables me to bring cutting-edge strategies back to my projects – raising standards, improving safety culture and driving measurable performance across all fronts.

Beyond that, I mentor junior professionals and serve as a sounding board for colleagues navigating complex challenges in their own HSE roles, as I strongly believe that leadership means lifting others as you climb.