As organisations across the Middle East and Africa face growing complexities in health, security, and operational risk, International SOS - the global leader in health and security risk management—has announced the reopening of its upgraded Dubai Assistance Centre. 

The relaunch marks a significant milestone, coinciding with the Group’s 40th anniversary, and underscores its four-decade legacy of safeguarding workforce wellbeing and delivering critical support during times of crisis.

Serving as a command hub for a vast and volatile geographical region - including the Gulf, Levant, Central Asia, North Africa, and parts of Eastern and Southern Africa, the Dubai Assistance Centre  monitors and assesses situations inmore extreme and high-risk countries than any other in International SOS’s global network of 28 Assistance Centres. International SOS has a multilingual team capable of communicating in over 110 languages and dialects worldwide, with 24 spoken at its Dubai Assistance Centre alone. It now includes a dedicated Telehealth Suite that showcases International SOS’s remote site telemedicine capabilities, demonstrating how cutting-edge healthcare delivery can reach even the most isolated locations.

The renovation was guided by key operational goals such as to modernise the facility, enhance collaboration among multidisciplinary teams, and offer a state-of-the-art environment for providing the best services to organisations. It now includes a dedicated Telehealth Suite that showcases International SOS’s remote site telemedicine capabilities demonstrating how cutting-edge healthcare delivery can reach even the most isolated locations.

“The enhancement of our Dubai Assistance Centre is a strategic investment in our ability to better serve organisations in one of the most dynamic regions of the world.,” said Sebastien Bedu, General Manager - Middle East, International SOS. “This centre is the operational backbone for hundreds of organisations who rely on us for rapid crisis response, health and security insights, and the tools they need to protect their workforce and operations.”

Over the past year alone, , the Assistance  Centres around the world have managed more than 300,000 cases, offering 24/7 support in medical and security emergencies, real-time information and analysis, consulting services, and tailored training. Its critical role in safeguarding employees and operations makes it a lifeline for companies prioritising Duty of Care, business continuity, and talent retention in unpredictable environments.

Another significant enhancement for the centre is the integration of real-time risk intelligence through a strategic alliance with Ontic, a leading provider of Connected Intelligence software for threat management. This collaboration will integrate Ontic’s advanced security technology with the global assistance capabilities, intelligence network, and decades of travel risk expertise of International SOS. The partnership aims to deliver unified solutions that empower security professionals to proactively manage threats, activate crisis response, and ensure the safety of their workforce worldwide reinforcing the Centre’s position as an essential business resilience asset.

Operational resilience as a focus is underpinned by robust mitigation and response to health, wellbeing and security risks. The enhancement of the Dubai Assistance Centre serves as a reminder of how vital reliable infrastructure and intelligence are to businesses today - particularly in regions where crises are not a question of if, but when.