The People Driving Innovation ... Tom Sagris
1.What inspired you to pursue a career in your field?
" I've always been drawn to the spaces where science meets human experience — where the decisions made on paper directly determine whether people are safe, comfortable, and able to move freely through a building. Fire safety, life safety, the invisible systems that protect people in iconic structures — there's a quiet but profound responsibility in that work. That responsibility is what drives me every single day."
2. How does working in the UAE influence your professional growth and your approach to your work?
"The UAE doesn't allow you to think small. When I established Design Confidence in Dubai in 2008, I quickly understood that this was a place where ambition was the baseline — not the exception. The scale of projects here, the speed of delivery, the diversity of clients and cultures you collaborate with — it sharpens you in ways that are hard to replicate anywhere else. The UAE has pushed me to think beyond conventional norms, to find solutions that are not immediately obvious, and to build a team that can rise to any challenge. It has made me a better engineer and a more decisive leader."
2. How do you feel your work contributes to shaping the UAE's future?
"Every iconic building we work on — whether it's one of the worlds largest structures, a world class stadium, or a cultural landmark — carries within it decisions our team made about how people will be protected, how they will move, and how they will experience that space. That's not a small thing. The UAE is building a legacy for generations, and engineering sciences sit quietly at the heart of every structure in that legacy. Our work doesn't always make the headlines, but it makes the headlines possible. We are proud to be part of what this country is becoming."
3. In your opinion, what makes the UAE a unique place for engineering and development?
"Three things: vision, velocity, and openness. The leadership here sets a direction that is genuinely bold — and then creates the conditions to make it real. Projects that would take a decade elsewhere happen here in a fraction of the time, and the appetite for innovation means that engineering teams are encouraged to challenge convention rather than simply comply with it. For a company like Design Confidence, that is the ideal environment. We thrive where the problems are complex, the expectations are high, and the solutions need to be exceptional."
4. What message would you share with the next generation of engineers and professionals building the UAE of tomorrow?
"Never underestimate the human dimension of engineering. At the end of every calculation, every model, every compliance report — there is a person. Someone who will walk through that building, attend that event, or depend on those systems in a moment of crisis. Keep that person in your mind always. Stay curious, challenge what you think you know, and build your confidence not from certainty but from preparation. The UAE is a place where your career can move as fast as your ambition — but your foundation must be solid. Invest in your expertise, invest in your people, and the rest will follow."
