E020: Building Safer Systems by Asking Better Questions with Mark McBride-Wright and Paulo Oliveira

The SAFE Leader with Mark McBride-Wright

In this episode of The SAFE Leader Podcast, Mark McBride-Wright sits down with Paulo Oliveira, Vice President of Process Safety Consulting at DEKRA UK, for a powerful and thought-provoking conversation about the evolving world of safety. From his roots in Portugal to leading international safety initiatives, Paulo shares how his journey was shaped not just by technical expertise, but by a deep philosophical drive to understand people, purpose, and the power of influence. He discusses how curiosity and self-reflection have been vital in transforming safety from a checklist activity to a human-centred force for good.

Together, they explore why the future of safety depends on empathy, communication, and representation, and how “safety entrepreneurs” can lead that change. With standout moments on the importance of diverse perspectives, the untapped value of analysing success, and the role of psychological safety in engineering, this episode is a must-listen for professionals ready to shift from compliance to culture. Tune in and discover what it really means to keep people safe in today's complex world.