FEU Leadership Conference
The Federation of European Fire Officers (FEU) will host its inaugural Leadership Conference 2026 at INTERSCHUTZ. On June 3-4, around 300 European leaders from fire services and civil protection will convene at the Hannover Messe to discuss the strategic challenges and emerging issues shaping the future of the industry.
A strong network
The FEU is a strong network of European fire officers associations and national fire departments, dedicated to connecting full-time fire and rescue service personnel across Europe. It facilitates the exchange of best practices and collaborates on initiatives and projects aimed at enhancing public safety throughout Europe.
As part of INTERSCHUTZ, participants will receive an in-depth overview of the latest developments and cutting-edge technologies shaping the future.
As multiple pressures continue to converge – including hybrid threats, geopolitical instability, digital vulnerabilities, extreme climate events, and rising public expectations – the need for clear, forward-looking leadership has never been greater.
International Speakers
Senior representatives from the European Commission, NATO, and national fire and civil protection authorities have already confirmed their participation.
Together, they will discuss how European fire and civil protection authorities must evolve to remain operational, resilient, and strategically positioned in an increasingly disruptive world.
Speakers
Stephan Wevers, President of FEU
About FEU
The FEU is the independent professional body of European fire officer associations or state fire services whose members are senior professionals that have responsibility for strategic management of the Fire and Rescue Services.
The mission of FEU is to share and exchange knowledge to deliver the best life and fire safety to the citizens in Europe.
(Photos are provided by owners and we are allowed to use them in conference promotion and related materials.)
More about the Speakers
Fire Chief, Los Angeles County
County of Los Angeles Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone leads one of the largest metropolitan emergency services agencies in the U.S., providing traditional fire and life safety services to more than 4.1 million residents and commercial business customers in 60 cities, in addition to 120 unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County.
The Department operates out of 176 fire stations, with more than 5,200 emergency responders and business professionals, with an annual budget of $1.8 billion. Additionally, the Department provides lifeguard, air and wildland, hazardous materials, homeland security, health hazardous materials, forestry, and urban search and rescue services throughout the County.
Commissioner Singapore Civil Defence Force
Eric was appointed by the Government as the Commissioner of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) in February 2012. In his 33 years of service, he helmed several key appointments such as Senior Director of the Homefront Security Division (HSD) at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), SCDF’s Director of Operations, Division Commander and Fire Station Commander.
Earlier in his career (1995-97), he spent 3 years as an Assistant Director in the MHA, developing national crisis preparedness policies and programmes. In 2008, he returned to MHA as the Senior Director/HSD. He was then responsible for developing national security strategies and managing the implementation of security measures and crisis capability development across the Government.
Throughout his career, Eric led numerous operations involving collapsed structures rescue, major fires, large storage tank fires, and contingency response deployment for high-profile events involving international participants such as the Trump-Kim Singapore Summit in June 2018. As SCDF is the national focal point for disaster management, Eric also oversees Singapore’s contributions to various regional and international fora such as the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM), UN INSARAG Steering Committee, UNDAC Advisory Board, and UN Disaster Risk Reduction matters.
Eric graduated from the UK in 1993 with a BA degree (1st Class Hons) and in 2000, he was appointed as a Foreign Fellow under the US Fulbright Program and graduated with a MA degree from Emerson College, Boston, USA, in 2001. He is also a graduate of the Stanford Executive Program 2009, Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.
He was conferred the Republic’s State honours of the Public Administration Medal (Bronze), (Silver), and (Gold) by the President in 2004, 2012, and 2024 respectively. In 2023, he received the Public Administration Medal (Gold) (COVID-19) in recognition for his outstanding contributions during Singapore’s fight against COVID-19.
Fire Commissioner, London Fire Brigade
Jonathan Smith was confirmed as London’s new Fire Commissioner following a confirmation hearing by the London Assembly’s Fire Committee in May 2025.
Jonathan began his firefighting career in 2000 with Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service at Norwich City Fire Station. In 2008, he joined Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, rising through the ranks before moving to London Fire Brigade (LFB) in 2019 as an Assistant Commissioner. His first role at LFB focused on overhauling procedures in Brigade Control in response to the Grenfell Tower Fire and the subsequent Public Inquiry. He later led a review of the Special Operations Group, which resulted in the creation of the Operational Resilience and Control (OR&C) department. He also served as Assistant Commissioner for Fire Stations.
As Deputy Commissioner, Jonathan is responsible for overseeing the Brigade's direct response to emergencies in London. This includes having responsibility for London's fire stations, our firefighters and Control Officers. he also acts as the National Fire Chiefs Council strategic lead for Marauding Terrorist Attack (MTA) and is the representative for London at the National Resilience Board and Counter Terrorism Strategic Board.
As Deputy Commissioner and Operational Director for Preparedness and Response, Jonathan oversaw London’s fire stations, firefighters, and control officers. He also represented London at national strategic forums, including the National Resilience Board, the Counter Terrorism Strategic Board, and the Operational Preparedness, Response and Resilience Committee. He served as the National Fire Chiefs Council’s strategic lead for Marauding Terrorist Attacks (MTA).
Jonathan has led responses to numerous high-profile incidents, including the New Providence Wharf Fire in 2021. He was the Brigade Manager for major national events such as the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the Coronation of King Charles III and has acted as the senior commander during several major incidents across London and beyond.
In response to the Culture Review, Jonathan served as the Senior Responsible Owner for the Brigade’s cultural change programme.
Outside of work, Jonathan is married with two children. A passionate sports fan, he supports Watford Football Club and enjoys rugby and cricket, regularly attending England cricket matches.
Professor of Law and Disasters, University of Copenhagen
Kristian Cedervall Lauta is a Professor of Law and disasters and presently serves as Prorector at the University of Copenhagen. Kristian has published numerous books on disasters, both within law, and in the broader context of governing disasters and crisis.
Kristian has served as a scientific advisor to the Danish Government and the European Commission and is an often-used expert in the Danish public debate on disasters and emergencies. Latest he has served as Chair of the Danish Government’s expert committee on disaster preparedness.
Maciej Popowski is Director-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations at the European Commission.
Ambassador Popowski is a Polish diplomat with more than 30 years of professional experience. Closely involved in the accession negotiations of Poland to the EU, he was Director for EU affairs at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in 2001-2008 served as Deputy Head of the Permanent Representation of Poland to the European Union. Between 2003-2008 he was Poland's first permanent representative to the EU's Political and Security Committee.
He then joined the European Commission as Director in Directorate-General for Development focusing on policy coherence, aid effectiveness, financing, relations with other donors and public information. In 2009-2011 he served as Head of Cabinet of the President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek. From 2011 until 2015 he was Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service, supervising the Common Security and Defence Policy as well as development policy.
In April 2016, Mr Popowski joined the European Commission's Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations serving as its Deputy Director-General and, from September 2020 until January 2023, as acting Director-General. He supervised, inter alia, EU's assistance to Ukraine following the Russian aggression as well works on the opinion on the candidate status for Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.
Director General of the Estonian Rescue and Emergency Management Agency
I have been working in the fire and rescue service since 1994, beginning my career as a rescuer and crisis management specialist. The new era in independent Estonia required rescue service leaders with a modern education, which is why I was promoted at a relatively young age to serve as the CFO of a county rescue service and later as the head of a regional rescue centre.
When Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2014, I was challenged to join the Government Office as the Head of the Civil Protection Task Force, where I was responsible for developing Estonia’s civil protection concept, including wartime risk planning. Since 2023, I have been serving as the Director-General of the Estonian Rescue Services Agency, with the mission of building a modern civil defence system for Estonia.
CEO and founder, Prabhaav Global
Ritika journey is one of remarkable achievement and global impact. Born and raised in India, she pursued an MBA in the UK and successfully navigated the challenges as an immigrant to both Canada and the UK. With over 30 years of experience at the Board level across three continents, Ritika has worked with senior stakeholders in both the public and private sectors.
Driven by a passion for inclusion and innovation, Ritika founded Prabhaav Global, an organization dedicated to harnessing the transformative power of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) for impactful leadership. As a CQ Certified Facilitator and Fellow at the Society of Leadership Fellows, Windsor Castle, she is a recognized authority in the field.
Ritika's influence extends to her roles as a Strategic Advisory Board member for British Transport Police, Co-Chair of the Culture First Board at Essex Fire and Rescue Services, Trustee and Board Director at the 5% Club, and sought-after global keynote speaker.
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