My name is Awwal Salisu. I have over a decade of experience in fire safety engineering across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East. I have worked in consultancy, government advisory, and leadership roles, contributing to safer and more resilient built environments.
My career began in the UK with leading consultancies, progressing into senior and management positions overseeing multidisciplinary teams. I now serve as Founder and Director of Think First Fire Engineering Consultancy (TFF) and Principal Fire Safety Manager within a giga project’s Loss Prevention Fire Safety (LPFS) team in Saudi Arabia.
In these roles, I operate at the intersection of design, regulation, innovation, commissioning, and operation—embedding life safety and property protection principles throughout every stage of development.
As Principal Fire Safety Manager at LPFS, I lead design review, inspection, and commissioning for one of the world’s largest mega-developments—supporting architects, engineers, and site teams to ensure effective fire strategies and system performance.
Through Think First Fire Engineering Consultancy, I direct global operations across the UK, Europe, and the GCC, focusing on compliance, peer review, and mentoring. Whether in design meetings, on-site, or developing regional guidance, my goal remains constant: to uphold life safety while driving efficiency and innovation.
Working across international jurisdictions presents unique challenges, as codes and standards vary widely—from BS and EN to SBC, UAEFLSCP, and NFPA. Navigating these frameworks requires technical expertise alongside cultural and regulatory awareness.
My role spans diverse, large-scale projects, from reviewing UK transport hub fire strategies to assessing life safety systems in remote KSA developments. Managing this complexity demands clear communication, structured processes, and continuous learning. Balancing innovation with prescriptive codes can be challenging, yet it’s also the most rewarding aspect—developing performance-based solutions that ensure safety while enabling design creativity.
The most fulfilling part of my work is mentoring and inspiring the next generation of fire engineers in the UK and MENA region. Having benefited from great mentors myself, I find real satisfaction in sharing knowledge, building confidence, and seeing young professionals grow into capable, ethical engineers. I also value the collaborative nature of fire safety—every project is unique, involving diverse specialists. There’s a strong sense of purpose in knowing our work quietly protects lives and property, even if its impact often goes unseen.
I’ve been fortunate to lead and contribute to award-winning, record-setting projects, including the world’s tallest indoor roller coaster in Dubai, and the ENOC Pavilion (Sustainable Project of the Year, Expo 2020). In 2024, I was named Engineer of the Year, this recognition reflected not only technical excellence but also collaboration, trust-building, and raising industry standards. Achievements like this display that leadership in engineering is about empowering others to deliver excellence.
I’m also proud of my professional memberships (IFE, IET, CIOB) and of co-founding a nonprofit fire safety organisation that advises regulatory bodies in developing nations on practical, cost-effective fire safety solutions tailored to local environments.
Mine was a funny story; a lot of my peers that have worked with me reading this will recognise it. I was having an early job crisis following a sting in environmental engineering. I walked into the university of South Wales and by chance I met the head of the engineering department, who went on to pitch fire engineering to me as a young engineering discipline with good financial reward and the opportunity to take part in interesting lab experiments during the course. And the rest is history.
During my studies in Fire Safety Engineering, I became fascinated by the science behind fire dynamics and human behaviour. Seeing how fire engineering combines physics, design, and social responsibility made me realise this was more than a career; it was my calling.
After a few years of practising and learning from mentors, I realised I needed to validate my competency through a recognised global engineering standard. The IFE represents the highest professional standards in our discipline, and I wanted to be part of that community of excellence. Professional registration through the IFE provided clear validation of my competency and experience in the fire safety-built environment, as well as demonstrating my commitment to maintaining the accountability values and ethics I hold dearly.
I saw IFE membership not just as a credential, but as a commitment to continuous improvement. It has given me a professional framework to measure my growth, progressing from Associate to Member grade, and then Incorporated Engineer (IEng), benchmarking my knowledge and aligning my practice with global standards along the way.
Being an IFE member has opened many doors and led to promotions during my career stages with multidisciplinary consultancies. It has also provided access to technical resources, conferences, global networking and peer connections that have helped me remain current with evolving standards and best practices.
On a personal level, IFE membership reinforces my sense of professional identity. It’s a reminder that I am part of an international community committed to protecting lives and assets through science, integrity, and best engineering practice.
I regularly contribute to IFE initiatives. While I am not a regular contributor at my local branch in the Northeast of England, I am an IFE-trained IEng reviewer. Looking ahead, I hope to expand my involvement through formal committee participation, expansion of the institution's footprint in the GCC regional nations and capacity-building programs that promote diversity and innovation within the profession.
Absolutely. IFE membership is more than an affiliation; it’s a seal of professional recognition. For anyone serious about a career in fire engineering, it provides credibility, structure, and a community of peers who share a passion for excellence and safety.
It also encourages lifelong learning and accountability, ensuring that members not only meet current standards but also help define the future of the profession.
I regularly promote, encourage and act as a referee for our engineers within my capacity in the UK and abroad to join the institution to validate their experience and competency within the global fire safety industry.
My advice would be simple: start early, seek mentorship, and embrace continuous learning. Professional registration is not just about achieving a title; it’s about proving your competence and your commitment to protecting people and property through sound engineering.
Document your journey, reflect on what you learn and day-to-day activities, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. The process of becoming professionally registered through the IFE is immensely rewarding, both personally, professionally and financially.