Speakers

Prof. Shahzad T. Khawaja is a PhD Scholar in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), He holds advanced professional qualifications including but not limited to ICertNEBOSH, EnvDipNEBOSH, IDipNEBOSH IDipOSH, CSM, ALP, PGEDBM, DBA, BA, MBA and MSc. These credentials underpin his expertise in aligning international safety standards with regional industry needs.

Professionally, Prof. SHAH has been serving as the Head of Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (HSSE) at Al Ghurair Group for the past five years. In this executive role, he leads group-wide safety governance, regulatory compliance, and cultural transformation initiatives across diverse sectors, embedding resilience and sustainable safety practices into business operations.

In addition, Prof. SHAH is the founder of OxfordMinds, an education and training initiative operating in the UAE, dedicated to advancing professional competence in OSH, enterprise risk, and safety leadership. Through OxfordMinds, he has designed and delivered specialised programs that equip professionals with practical and globally benchmarked skills tailored to regional contexts.

Bridging academic research with industry leadership, Prof. SHAH work is dedicated to enhancing recruitment practices and strengthening organisational safety performance. His long-term vision is to establish standardised, competency-based frameworks that support effective OSH professional selection, improve workplace safety outcomes, and contribute to sustainable industrial growth in the Asia - particularly UAE, GCC and beyond.