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Industry Spotlight: exida CTO Iwan van Beurden to Address “Design vs. Reality” at 6th Annual Middle East Reliability Conference
February 05, 2026
DUBAI, UAE – As industrial facilities across the Middle East accelerate their digital transformation, the gap between theoretical safety design and real-world operational performance has become a critical focus for asset integrity managers. To address this challenge, exida, a global leader in functional safety, alarm management, and cybersecurity, has announced that Chief Technology Officer Iwan van Beurden, CFSE, will deliver a featured technical presentation at the 6th Annual Middle East Reliability Conference, held from February 9–12, 2026.
Moving Beyond Paper Safety to Proven Safety
In his presentation, titled "Are your SIS Performance Assumptions Realistic? Let's find out!", van Beurden will challenge the industry's reliance on static design assumptions. While Safety Instrumented Function (SIF) design is traditionally built on estimated failure rates, demand frequencies, and proof test frequency / effectiveness, the IEC 61511 standard now mandates that operators compare these assumptions against actual operating experience (FSA Stage 4).
"True reliability is not a one-time calculation performed during the design phase; it is a continuous lifecycle process," says van Beurden. "In the Middle East, where environmental factors and operational demands are unique, over-reliance on generic data can lead to hidden risks or costly over-design.”
The Challenge: Moving from Having Data to Having Usable Data
A primary hurdle for many organizations is not a lack of data, but the maturity of how that data is collected and applied. Most plants struggle with fragmented, paper-based systems or inconsistent recording by maintenance staff.
"Collecting data is one thing; using it to drive safety and availability is another," van Beurden explains. "Without a structured approach, operators risk collecting 'noise' that isn't statistically viable or applicable across different units. To bridge this gap, we are introducing the concept of a Data Philosophy Document. This strategic framework establishes exactly what information is required, where it originates, and how it is recorded to ensure the results are both useful and compliant with IEC 61511 or corporate digitalization objectives."
A Global Authority in Dubai
As CTO of exida and an ISA Fellow, Iwan van Beurden is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost experts in functional safety. With over 25 years of experience, he has been a primary architect of the exSILentia® integrated safety lifecycle tool and a key contributor to the international standard IEC 61511. His presence at the conference underscores exida’s commitment to supporting the region’s oil, gas, and petrochemical sectors in achieving safe and reliable systems.
Visit exida at the Technology Expo
In addition to the technical session, exida will serve as a key exhibitor at the conference. Attendees are invited to visit the exida booth to engage with our experts and explore the latest advancements in safety lifecycle software and services. Our team will be on-hand to demonstrate how exida’s tools—including SILstat—help operators perform the comparison of actual vs. assumed performance, satisfying regulatory requirements while reducing the frequency of spurious trips.
About exida
exida is a global leader in high-availability automation safety, cybersecurity, and reliability. With world-class knowledge and a suite of innovative software tools, exida helps customers reduce the time and cost of complying with international standards while improving plant safety and performance.
About Iwan van Beurden
Iwan van Beurden, CFSE, is the CTO and Director of Product Development at exida. He is an ISA Fellow and a member of the IEC 61511 maintenance team. He holds a Master of Science degree from Eindhoven University of Technology, where he majored in reliability engineering and graduated cum laude.