comdivision kick off 2026 - Thank you Dubai, UAE

The majority of the comdivison experts group met in Dubai on February 28th, we started our kick off in silent peace, we ended it in a war zone. On top I had asked our friends from SkateAid to support the team with a keynote speech. Instead of Titus he did send his sone Julius. Whilst my phone started buzzing already throughout the morning keynote I kept pushing... 

By Lunch I got certainty, I led the team into an active war zone. Whilst the attack from Israel and US towards Iran was predictable, the response was not. Not a single but a continous attack on the UAE who clearly marked for weeks that they will not tolerate US activity in this conflict or even the allowance to fly over their territory. When we did a security review a week before there was a risk, but that was lower than VMworld in Barcelona 2017.

The attack and how we felt it...

Whilst the majority of the team was still in normal operations I got confirmations about first attacks onto the UAE and that our guest speaker for Sunday would not make it. Whilst the Agenda progressed in the background first security precautions were taken... Are we in a safe spot, should we move, first anlysis of evacuation routes for the team, all in silence. We knew we could rely on local sources from authorities, but wanted backup from other news outlets and authorities. 

We had a lovely dinner planned at our friend Mansur from Beef and Reef in Dubai, after checkin in with local authorities we considered the location safe which it was, however we made the dinner optional for those not feeling like it. Some even did not return from downtown before 5:00 AM, so it must have been safe downtown.

I returned to my apartment in Dubai by midnight before the big alarm went off and I learned something new, somewhere a few blocks a way is an air defense system hidden, which became active that night to protect us. As the situation escalated Julius decided to come over and crash our couche (as our home felt less exposed and more safe). 

Between the zones...

What happened next was I think more exhausting for people, it was to deal with the misinformation happening on Social Media, but also on "reliable" media in Germany, US and all over europe. Whilst we travelled thru the city we saw how much was AI and just extended stories. Yes there were impacts, yes there were fatalities and injuries (let's not play this down). But we heard again and again was the feeling projected back home was constant rocket fire, buildings on fire, a true war zone, whilst we continued our work... Trust me it is nerve wracking if you have to re-assure home that you are safe, as you start to question your own reality as well.

What did we do???

I defined a daily briefing meeting at 9:30 AM at the conference hotel, similar to the demand that ideally at no time should anyone be moving outside the defined safe zone alone. We defined we would work as a group in this situation, that if it would get worse we would stand as a group.

Daily security briefing

I never thought that my role would require to brief the team daily on their actual safety, decide whether we stay or move etc. That was a new lessons learned. Should you ever come into a situation, this is what I included:

• Facts of the situation:
  • Number of attacks, missiles, drones, death and injuries
    Yes it sounds hard but reality numbers help in risk asessment more than feelings and emotions.
  • Facts about incidents
    Confirmed locations hit, impact, how does it impact us
• Update on Security situation an assessed evacuation routes
  • Oman and Riyad were options, but not necessarily safe and reliable (at least in comparison to staying where we are).
  • We made clear to the team that everybody is free to go and would be supported, but that currently it is NOT the suggested approach. Except for one all decided to stay. 
  • We defined timelines for plan B.
  • Risk numbers and confirmations with authorities showed we were more safe to stay
  • Local authorities update
    • Ensure you have direct connection to authorities to get their point of view
    • Mix and relate this with media data (local and abroad)
• Make clear that the situation is serious
  • I applied a zero tolerance for making fun about someones feelings
    • We had rockets flying above our heads, fighter-jets, people are allowed to feel scared
    • People are allowed to loose themselves
    • Direct Management access was re-iterrated (we have that anyway, but we wanted to ensure it was understood)
    • We declared the rooms of the conference a safe space, what was discussed, felled, expressed here was to stay there!
      • Yes we have some big mouth people and they needed to understand this is a no go.
  • Yes we have a plan B, but we would ideally go in groups, whilst everyone is free to go, if I decide, we will go as a group.
  • Instruct how to ensure security, how to deal with alarms etc.

Ensure we are busy

Sounds weird, but one advise I got from a friend in crisis management is ensure everybody has tasks and is busy. The more time you spent to worry about the situation and everything else the more you go crazy. The majority of the team continued to work on customer projects etc. maybe a bit slower.

Group activities

Besides being together for work, we ensured we did group activities, lunch, dinner, we event went cart racing one night and attended public events. It helped everyone to not only feel engaged, but also focus on other items then the fear for what might happen.

Getting everybody out...

The most important part was to get everybody out safe... Which whilst we were setting a new deadline for leaving Dubai or the UAE via a either Oman or Saudi became unnecessary. The original plan was to have nearly everybody depart on Wednesday/Thursday and as Emirates announced they would re-start air travel we evaluated the situation with security advisors as well as Emirates. 

On Wednesday we got access to Emirates and were able with two phone calls to arrange for everybody flights in most cases maximum 1-2 days after the original planned return date. Most important we clarified that either Sascha or myself would stay until the last European or North American team member would have left, which Emirates acknowledged.

To be realistic, neither the german foreign services nor the foreign services of any other team members country was very helpful except for some generic infos. Most likely it would have taken days to weeks to get out with them. It was our travel team together with our local network which solved this. Which proofed again a local network is more important than anything else.

So by Sunday morning the last colleague from Germany left 1.5 hours before I left to the US, all returned safe and everybody was happy to be home.

What made the difference?

The difference was the very professional handling of all resources in the UAE, whether it was the Hotel staff, local security authorities or Emirates (the airline) which proofed everybody else wrong. Their professional and calm approach made people feel safe and taken care of. The media and security data shared multiple times a day was when validated against other sources more precise and detailed then a lot of the fake news provided.

Most important however our team which worked as a team and grew in the situation, everybody was able to rely on everybody. Even when we discussed potential relocation etc. the message was clear we go as a team, that provides us additional safety.

Finally there is the believe into the local authorities and government which most people do no longer have in other parts of the world. In these days the UAE government in many cases has done more for their visitors then the countries which are peoples home and where people pay taxes etc.. And this is the difference why people do not get in panic, the UAE make people feel safe.

So I have to thank everyone individually who was in the Dubai Kickoff 2026, but also all local authorities who did a fabulous job keeping us safe and informed.

Will I go back?

Yes for sure, Dubai is one of my homes and I am honored to be a resident of the UAE especially after they showed their resilience. We have a local team which has their life and family in Dubai and so have I my second home there. When? That is easy, as soon as time allows, April is for me mostly US bound, but I am sure afterwards I'll be back as soon as I can, as I miss Dubai now more than ever before...