Messe Frankfurt Middle East appoints new director to lead Security, Technology and Production portfolio
Dubai, UAE: Messe Frankfurt Middle East, organisers of Intersec, the world's leading event for safety, security and fire protection, and Light + Intelligent Building Middle East, the regional market leader within the light and building technology sector, has appointed Nathan Waugh as Portfolio Director, with a remit for driving growth across both events.
Waugh brings a wealth of experience, with a career spanning over 20 years in events and exhibitions in the UAE and the UK, most recently as Portfolio Director for Capital Events, part of the ADNEC Group, where he oversaw 12 exhibitions covering several industry verticals, including the security sector.
Following the success of the 2025 editions of Intersec, which welcomed a record 1,209 exhibitors as well as 47,300 visitors, and the co-located Light + Intelligent Building Middle East, which attracted a 10% increase in attendance to 15,948 visitors, Waugh's appointment will be fundamental in driving continued growth for the flagship events, which have secured a position as the must-attend global showcase for the safety, security and fire protection industries and the lighting and building technology sectors.
Ted Bloom, CEO, Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: 'We are delighted to welcome Nathan to Messe Frankfurt Middle East as our new Portfolio Director. With over two decades of experience in the events and exhibitions industry, Nathan brings invaluable expertise and a deep understanding of the security, safety, and technology sectors.
'His proven track record in driving strategic growth and delivering world-class exhibitions will be instrumental as we continue to elevate Intersec and Light + Intelligent Building Middle East to new heights. Nathan's leadership will be pivotal in strengthening our position as a global leader and shaping the future of these flagship events."
Nathan Waugh, Portfolio Director: Security, Technology, and Production, said: 'I am excited to have joined Messe Frankfurt Middle East to head up Intersec and Light + Intelligent Building Middle East. These events are both world-class platforms renowned for innovation, collaboration, and business growth, and the opportunity to lead the team to further build on these credentials is one I relish.
'I've been lucky to join a fantastic, passionate team, and I look forward to working alongside them to further grow and develop these events. My goal is to create new opportunities, drive industry progress, and deliver exceptionally curated experiences that cater to the needs of our exhibitors, visitors, and stakeholders.'
The 27th edition of Intersec takes place from 12-14 January 2026 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, under the patronage of His Highness Mansoor Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, where it will provide a platform for leaders, policymakers, investment incubators, corporate partners and world-class start-ups to work towards a safer tomorrow. The 27th edition of the event will once again provide the strategy and solutions for those charged with maintaining national and international security, safety, and state-of-the-art fire protection.
The 2026 edition of the Light + Intelligent Building event will once again be co-located with Intersec, bringing together global innovators and government bodies, offering cutting-edge products, innovative solutions, and insights into the evolution of lighting and intelligent building technologies through various conferences and workshops.
-ENDS-
About Intersec
Intersec in its 27th 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 12-14 January 2026 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'.
For more information, please visit our website.
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 € 609 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.
For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability
With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).
Further information: www.messefrankfurt.com
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.
For more information, please visit our website.
James Lakie
james.lakie@shamalcomms.com
Kate McGinley
kate.mcginley@uae.messefrankfurt.com
www.ae.messefrankfurt.com
intersec.ae.messefrankfurt.com
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