AVIATION SAFETY TRANSFORMATION SUMMIT Safety First, Excellence Always

is a seasoned aviation expert with over 25 years of experience in Air Navigation Services (ANS). A licensed Air Traffic Control Officer, he holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial management and an MBA in Strategic Management & Leadership. He has served as Director of ATM, and as a Quality & Safety Manager, overseeing ANS operations across various UAE entities. Currently, he is the Director of Aviation and Airports Safety at the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA). Ahmed is pursuing his Doctorate at the University of Central Lancashire, UK, and is recognized for his leadership in aviation safety and regulation.

has been involved in aviation for more than thirty-five years. He was a Navigator in the South African Air force, qualified as an instructor and completed his Air Force career as Chief Navigation Instructor. During his Air Force tenure Mr. Groenewald also qualified as a PANS-OPS designer, and subsequently during his tenure with ATNS South Africa was involved with various PANS-OPS and WGS-84 survey projects. Mr. Groenewald was a senior member of the South African airspace-restructuring project and the project manager for the African RNAV (GNSS) implementation project - Project GROMET. Mr. Groenewald was the chairman of the GNSS Taskforce in South Africa charged with the writing of the South African GNSS legislation, and this experience was also used during the writing of the GNSS legislation for the DRC. Mr. Groenewald represented South Africa and IATA on the ICAO Instrument Flight Procedures Panel. Mr. Groenewald also represented South Africa on various International AIS planning groups and was the presenter of the African Continent at the AIS Global Congress held in Madrid. During his tenure with the GCAA, he was responsible for writing and maintaining regulations pertaining to Airspace, flight procedure design, activities affecting airspace and UTM service providers. Mr. Groenewald was also responsible for all flight procedure, airspace and ATM related projects and approvals. This includes the restructuring project of the UAE Airspace (A multi-year phased project), conducting safety and compliance audits and certification of external Flight Procedure Design Organizations. Mr. Groenewald is currently employed by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority as Airspace Safety Expert. Roles and responsibilities include writing, maintaining and updating ATM and UAS/UAM related regulations and guidance material with reference to ICAO SARPS and where applicable EASA Regulation.

Robert Bara, currently Obstacle Control Expert at Dubai Civil Aviation is an aviation professional with an extensive career of over thirty years in the operational, technical and regulatory areas of the Air Operations, with solid experience developed in civil and military organizations, in Air Traffic Control, Air Navigation, Aerodrome Operations, Civil Aviation Regulatory bodies, quality, safety and communication areas.

is Human Factors Manager at Emirates Airline and has been with the airline since 2007. In this position he has overseen Crew Resource Management (CRM) training in a major international airline and worked on integration of Human Factors across the organisation. Dr. Dahlstrom also holds the position of Senior Lecturer at Lund University School of Aviation in Sweden, where he is delivering courses, provide supervision and is engaged in research. He has published research articles and book chapters on Human Factors and CRM, as well as delivered invited presentations, lectures and training around the world.

is a seasoned aviation safety specialist with over a decade of global experience in safety management systems, safety culture, just culture and incident/accident investigation. With a foundation in aeronautical engineering, flying and pilot training, he brings deep operational insight to complex aviation environments. He has supported airlines, ground handlers and regulators worldwide in strengthening safety performance and regulatory compliance. A contributor to IATA safety training development, Washington is also an active researcher in safety risk assessment, advocating data-driven approaches to hazard identification and risk mitigation. He is passionate about advancing safety leadership and sharing best practices across the aviation industry.

is an executive leader with over 18 years of experience within the aviation industry. He is currently the Senior Vice President of Compliance, Safety & Sustainability at flydubai, where he oversees the effective strategy & execution of the airline’s Safety, Compliance, Sustainability and Emergency Response Programmes. Prior to joining flydubai in 2021, Khalid formerly held various leadership and specialized roles at the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority and Emirates Airlines. Khalid holds a master’s degree in aviation safety, a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering and a bachelor’s degree in aviation management.

Originally from the United Kingdom, Rick joined flydubai from British Airways in 2014 within their Network Control Centre, having a background in Operations Control and Flight Dispatch. Since then, he has held management roles within Airport Services and Safety before leading the Emergency Response Department expanding the remit to capture the organizational function of Business Continuity under the guidance of Compliance, Safety and Sustainability. Rick holds a master’s degree (MSc) in Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management, is one of the company’s ERD’s (Emergency Response Directors), and a trained Bomb Threat Assessor.

Ahmed Aboeleneen is a multi-faceted professional with over 22 years of cumulative experience predominantly in the areas of safety management system, Aviation security, emergency response planning, business continuity, and technical training. He is currently employed by Joby Aviation as the Safety and Security Manager. He is also a lecturer and instructor with: Kenyon International Emergency Services, Etihad Aviation Training, United Arab Emirates Civil Aviation Authority (IACT), and Arab Air Carrier Organization (AACO).

Asim Rizwan brings over 25 years of operational and strategic experience across Middle East and USA aviation markets. He has led airport development and capacity enhancement projects that required close coordination with diverse stakeholders including regulators, airspace planners, military authorities, and airport operators. His expertise in human factors, integrated working positions, and sustainable airport development provides valuable insight into how engagement strategies must adapt across operational environments. Asim has also advised on transitions from military to civilian airspace use and championed innovation in ATM through collaborative deployment of new technologies

Karim Hijazi is a French citizen and former military pilot. He logged over 3,000 hours in both helicopters and fixed wings, holding commercial, multi-engine, and airline transport pilot certificates, rated for helicopter NVG flights & deck landings. He is an accredited IS-BAO auditor and former IATA Training Development Institute SMS Instructor. Karim established Air Synapsis in Dubai in 2007, the company has since developed extensive experience in aviation business development, safety management and development of aviation infrastructures.

Marco Ducci, CEO of Unifly Consulting, leads strategic development and technical coordination, including the management of projects for aviation regulatory authorities. As an expert in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and urban air mobility, he plays a key role in advancing innovative solutions within the aviation sector.

With over 15 years of experience in the aviation sector, currently serves as the Head of the Aircraft Oversight Section at the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority. In this role, he leads a dedicated team of inspectors, ensuring that aviation operators comply with both international and national regulations and standards, upholding the highest levels of safety and operational excellence

Abdulla Al Blooshi brings over 15 years of field experience in accident investigation, aviation safety, and regulatory innovation. He’s led and contributed to dozens of investigations (from incident-level to major accidents) and served as a speaker at both the International Society of Air Safety Investigators “ISASI” and the World Aviation Safety Summit “WASS”.