Can you tell us about your journey and what interested you to work in this field?
My journey into security has always been rooted in a passion for people, systems and justice — rather than authority or enforcement. With a degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Sociology from the University of Arizona, I became fascinated by how human behaviour and environments shape actions, and how well-designed systems can prevent harm before it occurs.
This led me to roles combatting white-collar crime in government sector, then advancing to in the private sector as a specialist in background investigations, due diligence, corporate security and HSSE leadership. Today, my focus is on strategic risk governance and invisibility of security while increasing security. What drives me is the belief that effective security should be seamless and empowering to protect lives, enable progress and allow organisations and communities to thrive with confidence.
What makes the security demands of Saudi Arabia’s giga-projects fundamentally different from conventional mega-developments?
Saudi Arabia’s giga-projects are not conventional developments; they are entirely new ecosystems being created at unprecedented scale and speed. Unlike traditional mega-projects, which are often single-purpose or asset-centric, giga-projects combine cities, economies, tourism, technology and culture into integrated environments with global visibility.
Security in this context must be adaptive, intelligence-driven and future-proof, rather than static or perimeter-focused. Additionally, Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 is transforming the security concept with a new school of protection balancing trust and prevention rather than suspected and reactive. Security is not just about first response; it plays a strategic role as a preventive tool, supply chain facilitator, crowd management partner, and even a contributor to visitor experience with all aspects directly linked to cost efficiency and operational resilience.
Why is early security integration critical in the master planning of giga-projects, and how can security leaders influence these decisions effectively?
Early safety and security integration is critical because foundational decisions are established and locked during the master planning stage. These decisions shape the entire ecosystem, and retrofitting security later is not only costly but can compromise functionality and aesthetics.
Security leaders can influence this process by reframing security as a strategic enabler rather than a restrictive layer. This involves:
- Embedding security into design intelligence: Translating risk assessments into practical design solutions that enhance resilience without sacrificing openness.
- Aligning with project vision: Connecting security objectives to broader goals like sustainability, operational efficiency and user experience.
- Engaging early with stakeholders: Building partnerships with planners, architects and technology teams to ensure security is integrated seamlessly into infrastructure and governance models.
How is AI reshaping threat anticipation, situational awareness and response across large-scale, smart developments?
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally transforming safety and security from a reactive function into a predictive and intelligence led discipline. AI enables the analysis of vast amounts of data from video analytics, access control, sensors, and environmental systems to detect anomalies and emerging threats before they escalate. This creates continuous situational awareness and allows for faster, more coordinated, and more informed prediction and responses.
In large-scale smart developments, AI is essential for managing complexity at scale while maintaining operational efficiency and resilience. Today, AI is advancing towards behavioural analysis and predictive modelling, enabling proactive prevention and early intervention. In many ways, AI represents a modern evolution of the “broken windows” principle — addressing minor irregularities early to prevent major incidents and catastrophic failures in safety and security.
How can HARIS (Humanised Artificial Reasoning for Intelligent Security) balance AI automation with human judgment to build resilient, ethical security ecosystems?
HARIS is founded on the principle that true resilience comes from collaboration between advanced technology and human expertise. While AI delivers speed, scalability and pattern recognition, human judgment remains indispensable for context, ethics, empathy and accountability. HARIS is a non-profit initiative designed to ensure AI enhances decision-making rather than replaces it, embedding governance, transparency, and explainability into security systems.
Its mission is to elevate the security profession by serving as a knowledge-enrichment and quality-assurance tool for professionals and organisations, ensuring compliance with national and international standards and regulations. The HARIS AI agent is now publicly accessible at www.harisagent.ai.
This feature appeared in the March issue of Security Middle East magazine.
