Speakers:
Douglas White
Territory Sales Manager, ANZ – Fire Suppression
Johnson Controls
Douglas brings over 20 years of professional sales and project management experience within the fire protection industry. Currently the Territory Sales Manager for Johnson Controls, he is responsible for raising product awareness and driving new system integrations for clients across various market verticals such as commercial, industrial, residential, defence and hospitality, as well as oil and gas.
Equipped with strong fire design and application background, Douglas is focused on collaborating with subject matter experts and end users to develop effective fire protection design and solutions – from concept to completion. He has previously worked with many large organisations including the Australian Department of Defence, Woolworths and Optus, and consulted on numerous complex projects such as AFFF systems for helicopter hangars and sprinkler and gaseous suppression systems for large-scale data centres.
Throughout his career, he has carved a niche specialisation for special hazards fire protection. Douglas is passionate about the application of integrated technology such as autonomous fire suppression systems and he believes the future of fire protection lies in the reducing of response times to detect and suppress fire. Douglas understands that fire protection is of upmost importance to building owners, facility managers, developers and occupants. He is deeply committed to safety and giving people confidence in places where they work and live.
As an avid fire safety advocate, Douglas sits on the FPAA committee and plays a pivotal role in the development of fire suppression standards within Australia and New Zealand markets. Douglas is recognised as a member of the Institute of Engineers Australia and holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) from the University of Technology, Sydney.
Xi Chen
Sales Manager, New Zealand - Fire Detection
Johnson Controls
With 20 years of experience in the fire protection industry in New Zealand, Xi Chen has developed extensive expertise in fire detection systems, supported by substantial hands-on experience in the installation and maintenance of systems in accordance with New Zealand standards, as well as project management across a varied range of building types and environments. Currently serving as Sales Manager at Johnson Controls, he remains closely involved in the technical aspects of project delivery, providing input on system selection, design coordination, and alignment with project and regulatory requirements for complex and large-scale fire detection projects.
Xi combines practical engineering knowledge with sound commercial judgement, enabling him to assess project requirements from both technical and operational perspectives. His experience covers the full lifecycle of fire detection systems, including installation, commissioning, testing, maintenance, fault diagnosis, and system optimization, ensuring systems perform reliably and in accordance with relevant standards and design intent.
He has contributed to the successful delivery of numerous projects by identifying potential risks at an early stage, working collaboratively with consultants, contractors, and clients, and supporting the development of fit-for-purpose solutions tailored to specific site conditions and project requirements. His work focuses on delivering practical solutions that meet project and operational needs, with consideration for system reliability and long-term maintainability.
He holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Business Development from The University of Auckland and a Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Electronics) from AUT.