Currently is working under NEOM* Authority (Governance, Policy and Strategy Division), assigned to create, develop, implement and manage Environmental Risk and Emergency Management regulatory frameworks, programs, standard operating procedures and plans, while establishing and strengthen partnerships and cooperation with internal and external stakeholders, international, regional and local bodies to develop leadership and visibility for all related program strategies and he’s in charge of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategies development and implementation, in order to prevent new and reducing existent disaster risk and to manage residual risk, all of which contribute to strengthen resilience and therefore to achieve sustainable development.
Overseeing the DRR strategies and polices, defining goals and objectives across different timescales and with concrete targets, indicators and time frames, aiming and preventing the creation of disaster risk, the reduction of the existing risk and strengthening of economic, social, health and environmental resilience.
In parallel, he’s leading the implementation of a comprehensive Environmental Protection Program, focused on Oil Pollution Response (Marine and Shoreline areas) generating capabilities to identify and manage, to reduce and mitigate environmental risks, as well as to prepare for, and manage environmental emergencies across NEOM region, by delivering ‘key differentiators’ (best global practices and standards) to enable the NEOM vision and Saudi Vision 2030.
He’s an experienced senior Consultant, Trainer and Advisor (mainly in Europe and MEA Region) in Risk Sciences, Civil Protection, Emergency Management, Emergency Planning, Preparedness & Response, Civil Contingencies, Crisis & Risk Management, BCM, Mitigation & Awareness Programs, Cities Resilience Programs and Capacity Building, Disaster Risk Reduction & Disaster Risk Management, Prevention & Fire Safety Strategies, Fire & Rescue/Emergency Services, First Aid, Public Safety and Resilience Strategies, Environmental Protection, HSSE, among other safety-related matters for private (e.g., construction, heavy industries, oil & gas, education, hospitality, healthcare, several major sport events, etc.) and public sector (e.g., municipalities, local governments, EU member states, Non EU member states, MEA region, etc).
Previously, he was a PMC under a multinational company (focused on Emergency Management, Fire Safety and SH&E) in Qatar (seconded to Lusail City** and Qatari Diar), from 2023 to 2019, where he was also a SH&E Committee Member and Chairperson, proactively leading and maintaining project SH&E performance, in between 2016 and 2017.
He was a Deputy Fire Chief (from 2006 to 2017) at Águeda Fire Department (Portugal), that he have joined in his early years, as a cadet, and where he developed part of his career as a firefighter (from 1991 to 2006). Currently he is a Principal Fire Officer (reserve), since 2017.
Through his career he has attended innumerous courses, workshops and trainings, nationally and internationally, (e.g., UN, UNDRR, UNEP, UNITAR; EU Civil Protection; Geneva Centre for Security Policy; International Centre for Parliamentary Studies, Institute of Leadership; Seoul Human Resources Development Center (SHRDC); United Cities and Local Government (UCLG); Metropolis and UCLG-ASPAC; Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco (IPCB), University of Coimbra (UC); Porto Business School, ISCTE; HEC Paris; FEMA, IAEM, NFPA, CFPA, ISO, BSI, EFQM, EU Programme of Exchange of Civil Protection Experts; National Council for Civil Emergency Planning, National Authority for Civil Protection, National Defense Institute, National Institute for Medical Emergency, National Fire School, QCDD, NEOM, among other entities and/or professional bodies.
Academically, he holds a degree in Civil Protection (Emergency Management) plus advanced executive courses and educational programs, including post graduated studies in Risk Sciences; Resilience; Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster Risk Management; Multilateral Diplomacy; Leadership; Strategy Foresight; Geopolitic and Geoeconomy; Environment & Security; Human Security and Climate; Mega-trends; Organizational Change and Excellence, among others.
Through the years he has also accumulated experience as an Emergency Management/Civil Protection (and related areas) has a lecturer, trainer and advisor, in several courses, trainings and degrees.
He’s regularly involved in seminars and conferences, training courses, drills and exercises, and technical meetings on Leadership, Foresight Analysis, Emergency Management/Civil Protection, Emergency Planning, Preparedness & Response, Fire & Rescue, Fire & Life Safety, Loss Prevention, Resilience, Business Continuity & Risk Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, Crisis & Disaster Risk Management, Environment & Security, HSE, and related areas, including development and revision of comprehensive emergency programs, strategies, policies and plans, also with the creation of public safety awareness and preparedness outreach programs.
His goal is to continue expanding my efforts in this field while exploring better methods to serve and protect people, environment & property.
João Canas has been Portugal’s World Advisor since March 2025.