IBM Secured as Main Sponsor for Safe Cities at IFSEC & OSH Arabia 2014

IBM has been confirmed as the lead sponsor for the Safe Cities area at IFSEC & OSH Arabia 2014.

Recognising that safe cities projects are forecast to be worth $210bn between now and 2020 the computing giant will showcase its Command and Control Centre at the heart of the Safe Cities zone (stand J27).

Organised by UBM Live, Safe Cities at IFSEC & OSH Arabia will demonstrate how traditional and IP-orientated security solutions can be interconnected, inter-operable and future-proofed to keep urban environments safe in an ever-more complex risk landscape.

From sensors and surveillance to fences and bollards the safe cities paradigm – which is analogous to the ‘smart-cities’ concept – is fundamentally about integrating technology and procedures across and between multiple agencies.

Click here to download the Safe Cities Report, published by UBM Live and based on a survey of security professionals from across the industry.

Drawing on decades of experience in computer networks IBM will showcase technological solutions and offer seminar presentations to visitors.

Safe Cities projects encompass a wide range of markets including government, transport, education, healthcare, retail, banking, cyber security, construction and energy.

Record-breaking year

IFSEC & OSH Arabia is on course for a record-breaking year, with international exhibitors from 22 countries, including Brazil, Canada, France, Netherlands and Poland, showcasing their latest security solutions and more than 5,000 visitors expected to attend.

By registering the criteria delegates can set up tailored meetings with exhibitors through the Global Meetings Programme. The official one-to-one matchmaking service the Global Meetings Programme allows visitors to quickly find relevant suppliers and arrange meetings in the dedicated Meetings Lounge.

“Public officials are today turning to technology advances to make our public safety systems smarter,” says Mohamed Abdelhak, general manager for IBM Middle East, Saudi Arabia branch.

“From traffic tie-ups to security breaches and natural disasters, organisations can now gather huge volumes of data and use analytics to uncover safe city trends before they become major issues. As city safety systems become increasingly sophisticated, it is essential that developers understand how these technologies can be operated in an integrated way.

“This is where IBM smarter cities solutions help decision-makers to anticipate safety challenges – meaning better citizen-centred services for the public.”

Kristan Johnstone, international event manager for IFSEC & OSH Arabia, said: “2014 is an exciting year for us, the launch of Safe Cities in the Middle East region is a reflection on what the industry demands.

“With IBM as lead sponsor, this demonstrates the importance of integration between systems and how they can be implemented at the highest level. We’re working full steam ahead to the event in just a few day’s time and we’re looking forward to revealing what’s new for 2014.”

IFSEC & OSH Arabia takes place from 2 -4 November at the RICEC, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Visitors and press can register to attend here. And find out more information on the Global Meetings Programme or to register here.

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