Kenny Adams CMIOSH

Head of QHSSET Eastern Hemisphere Land. Helmerich & Payne

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

About

Kenny Adams doesn't just lead safety — he redefines what it looks like at scale. A Chartered HSSEQT and Crisis Leadership Executive with over 20 years of high-stakes experience spanning the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, Kenny has built a career on one uncompromising belief: that world-class safety performance isn't a metric to chase — it's a culture to build. And he has built it. Repeatedly. Across more than 16 Countries, 100+ rigs, 9,000+ personnel, and some of the most complex operating environments. From directing enterprise-wide HSSEQT strategy across multi-country operations, to leading post-merger integration of QHSE systems across major organisational transitions, Kenny brings the kind of capability that doesn't just manage risk — it eliminates it by design. His frameworks are ISO-aligned. His governance structures hold. His safety cultures endure long after he has left the room. But governance alone doesn't explain the results. What sets Kenny apart is his command in a crisis. He has led emergency responses in high-threat regions, managed security operations in volatile environments, and applied deep expertise in incident investigation — TapRooT, Human Factors Analysis, Emergency Response, Crisis Management & BCM, turn learning into permanent safeguards. He doesn't just respond to crisis. He prepares organisations so that crisis, when it comes, finds them ready. His technical expertise is matched by his ability to build people. Kenny has designed and implemented global competency systems aligned to IADC and OPITO standards, developed leadership capability across diverse cultures, and partnered with NOCs and IOCs at the highest levels to shape HSSEQT strategy, governance, and operational performance. He is a trusted voice in boardrooms and on the frontline alike. He is also an award-winning wellbeing ambassador and internationally recognised conference speaker — pioneering psychological safety programmes, advancing human factors thinking, and championing modern safety leadership across the energy sector. Kenny understands something that many safety professionals miss: the greatest risk is a culture where people don't feel safe to speak up. His leadership approach is grounded in clarity, accountability, and cultural alignment. Safety, operational excellence, and organisational resilience don't sit alongside business performance. Under Kenny's leadership, they are business performance. Rigorous where it counts. Human where it matters.

Experience

  • Head of QHSSET Eastern Hemisphere Land. at Helmerich & Payne
    Jan 2025 - Present · 1 yr 7 mos

  • KCA Deutag (16 yrs 11 mos)
    • Head of Land Drilling QHSSET
      Jan 2013 - Jan 2025 · 12 yrs 1 mo

    • Regional HSSET Manager Africa & Middle East
      Nov 2011 - Jan 2013 · 1 yr 3 mos

    • Regional Manager Africa & Mobile Operating Drilling Units (SEA)
      Jan 2010 - Nov 2011 · 1 yr 11 mos

  • Airport Fire Manager at Aberdeen International Airport
    Apr 2005 - Mar 2008 · 3 yrs