12 Nov 2025
Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC Hotel & Convention, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
IDC CISO Roundtable 2025
Exclusive Dinner Roundtable
Overview
As Saudi Arabia accelerates its digital transformation journey under Vision 2030, CISOs are at the forefront of navigating the nation’s evolving cybersecurity priorities. IDC’s Security Survey reveals that user identity management, security awareness, data privacy and compliance, and third-party risk assessment are the top areas of focus for organizations in the Kingdom. These findings underscore the urgent need for strong, adaptive leadership to safeguard digital ecosystems while enabling innovation.
The IDC CISO Roundtable 2025 will bring together senior cybersecurity leaders from government, energy, finance, and enterprise sectors to address these priorities. Through expert-led sessions, collaborative workshops, and CISO panel discussions, the event will tackle the most pressing cybersecurity challenges facing organizations today.
Why Attend
- Premier CISO Workshop – Back to the Future: Time Travelling CISO: Step into the shoes of a time-traveling CISO to experience how cybersecurity priorities have evolved from 2010 to 2025—balancing risk, regulation, and innovation.
- Build Cyber Resilience: Learn to create adaptable cybersecurity frameworks for evolving threats.
- Leverage AI & Automation: Use intelligent technologies to strengthen and scale secure growth.
- Navigate Compliance: Stay ahead of changing regulations with practical, expert insights.
- Empower Future Leaders: Foster and guide the next generation of cybersecurity talent.
- Connect & Collaborate: Network with peers and shape the future of cyber resilience in Saudi Arabia.
Speakers
Shilpi Handa
Associate Research Director (META)
IDC
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Shilpi Handa
IDC
Associate Research Director (META)
Event Sessions
Wednesday, November 12 2025 8:50 pm | Location:
Workshop: Back to the Future – Time Travelling CISO
Step into the shoes of a time-traveling CISO as we simulate the challenge of managing cybersecurity budgets in 2010 vs. 2025. This interactive session explores how evolving threat landscapes, regulatory pressures, and business priorities have reshaped security decision-making. Participants will experience the stark contrast between the reactive, perimeter-focused spending of 2010 and today’s complex mix of cloud security, AI-driven threats, zero trust, and compliance mandates.
Through real-world scenarios, the session highlights how modern CISOs must juggle risk, regulation, and resilience—balancing innovation with fiscal discipline in an era where every dollar must defend digital trust.
Wednesday, November 12 2025 4:35 pm | Location:
Empowering CISOs: Trends in Saudi Arabia’s Cybersecurity Sector
Wednesday, November 12 2025 4:30 pm | Location:
Welcome Address
James Neilson
Senior Vice President, International
OPSWAT
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James Neilson
OPSWAT
Senior Vice President, International
James Neilson serves as senior vice president for international at OPSWAT, where he leads global go-to-market and field operations for one of the fastest-growing companies in critical infrastructure protection. He is a global technology leader with over two decades of experience driving growth and innovation across the cybersecurity and enterprise software landscape. With a career spanning leadership roles at some of the industry’s most recognized firms, James has built and led high-performing teams across Europe, the Middle East, and APAC, consistently delivering results in complex, high-stakes environments. Prior to joining OPSWAT, he held executive roles at leading cybersecurity and SaaS companies, where he specialized in scaling international business units, developing partner ecosystems, and helping public and private sector organizations strengthen their cyber-resilience. His deep understanding of both mature and emerging markets makes him a trusted advisor to CISOs, regulators, and technology partners navigating the evolving threat landscape.
Event Sessions
Wednesday, November 12 2025 4:50 pm | Location:
Securing Edge Devices in a Hybrid Work Environment
Focus on the security challenges posed by the proliferation of edge devices in hybrid work settings and explore strategies for securing these critical points in an organization’s infrastructure.
Michael Byrnes
Director, Solutions Engineering
BeyondTrust
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Michael Byrnes
BeyondTrust
Director, Solutions Engineering
Michael Byrnes serves as BeyondTrust’s director of solutions engineering for the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa. He has acquired a wealth of cybersecurity experience in a number of engagements over the last 12 years with a diverse set of IT companies across the Middle East, Africa, India, and Türkiye. Thanks to his various roles as a security consultant, a systems engineer, and within pre-sales, he has gained extensive expertise in network and information security, architecture design, and virtualization. In his current position at BeyondTrust, Michael manages the solution engineers’ team across the META region. With his group, he engages and advises partners, customers, and prospects on their privileged access management strategies to secure and manage their privileged identities and access.
Event Sessions
Wednesday, November 12 2025 5:05 pm | Location:
Harnessing AI to Strengthen Cybersecurity Defenses
Mohammad Flaifel
Regional Sales Director
Group IB
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Mohammad Flaifel
Group IB
Regional Sales Director
Event Sessions
Wednesday, November 12 2025 5:20 pm | Location:
Disruptive Technologies- Transforming CyberSecurity Landscape
Explore how emerging technologies are revolutionizing cybersecurity — challenging traditional approaches, empowering defenders with smarter tools, and creating both new opportunities and threats in the digital battlefield.
Niraj Mathur
Managing Director
Protiviti Middle East Member Firm
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Niraj Mathur
Protiviti Middle East Member Firm
Managing Director
Niraj Mathur, an accomplished professional with over 18 years of experience in data security and privacy consulting, leads cybersecurity services at Protiviti Middle East in his role as managing director. He has effectively managed several large and intricate regional projects with his expertise in security strategy, security operations, and security architecture. Niraj has a proven track record of assisting prominent clients with compliance, risk management, security operations, and overall security road maps, both locally and globally.
Event Sessions
Wednesday, November 12 2025 6:50 pm | Location:
Panel Discussion: Leveraging AI and Automation to Support Secure Business Growth
Security vendors will examine how AI and automation are transforming cybersecurity solutions and enabling organizations to scale securely. The panel will cover the latest advancements in AI-driven threat detection, automated incident response, and intelligent risk analytics. Vendors will share case studies on how their technologies help clients accelerate digital transformation while maintaining robust security postures.
Dr. Badr Alshehry
Chief Information Security Officer
Insurance Sector
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Dr. Badr Alshehry
Insurance Sector
Chief Information Security Officer
Dr. Badr Alshehry is a seasoned cybersecurity leader with over 20 years of experience across the government and financial sectors. During his experience, he has led cybersecurity strategy, governance, and compliance initiatives with deep expertise in cyber defense and risk governance. He holds a PhD in Computer Science and an MSc in Information and Network Security.
Event Sessions
Wednesday, November 12 2025 8:20 pm | Location:
CISO Panel Discussion: Navigating Regulatory Compliance with Confidence
This discussion will focus on how CISOs can effectively manage the complexities of regulatory compliance in a rapidly changing environment. Panelists will share insights on interpreting new regulations, implementing compliance controls, and fostering a culture of accountability. The session will also address the role of automation and continuous monitoring in maintaining compliance, and how to prepare for audits and regulatory reviews with confidence.
Our Partners
Opswat
For the past 20 years, OPSWAT has been a global leader in cybersecurity, specializing in IT, operational technology, and critical infrastructure protection. Through continuous innovation, OPSWAT has developed a comprehensive end-to-end solutions platform that provides public and private sector organizations with the critical tools needed to safeguard complex networks, ensure compliance, and secure files. OPSWAT’s solutions are designed to safeguard critical infrastructure, protect valuable digital assets, and preserve the continuity of operations across diverse industries.
BeyondTrust
BeyondTrust is the global cybersecurity leader protecting Paths to Privilege™. Our identity-centric approach goes beyond securing privileges and access, empowering organizations with the most effective solution to manage the entire identity attack surface and neutralize threats, whether from external attacks or insiders.
BeyondTrust is leading the charge in transforming identity security to prevent breaches and limit the blast radius of attacks, while creating a superior customer experience and operational efficiencies. We are trusted by 20,000 customers, including 75 of the Fortune 100, and our global ecosystem of partners.
Group IB
Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Singapore, Group-IB is a leading creator of cybersecurity technologies to investigate, prevent, and fight digital crime. Combating cybercrime is in the company’s DNA, shaping its technological capabilities to defend businesses, citizens, and support law enforcement operations.
Dell Technologies
Our story began with a belief and a passion: that everybody should have easy access to the best technology anywhere in the world. That was in 1984 in Michael Dell’s University of Texas dorm room. Today, Dell Technologies is instrumental in changing the digital landscape the world over. We are among the world’s leading technology companies helping to transform people’s lives with extraordinary capabilities. From hybrid cloud solutions to high-performance computing to ambitious social impact and sustainability initiatives, what we do impacts everyone, everywhere. Powered by a diverse workforce, we create solutions that harness and amplify technology in the most meaningful ways. From healthcare to education to a digital economy, we believe in the power of technology to help solve complex societal challenges. At Dell Technologies, we are innovation pioneers driving the digital revolution forward. Together, and as individuals, our passion and unique perspectives propel every idea, concept and solution we create.
Sophos
Sophos is a cybersecurity leader defending 600,000 organizations globally with an AI-driven platform and expert-led services. Sophos meets organizations wherever they are in their security maturity and grows with them to defeat cyberattacks. Its solutions combine machine learning, automation, and real-time threat intelligence with frontline human expertise from Sophos X-Ops to deliver advanced, 24/7 threat monitoring, detection, and response. Sophos offers industry-leading managed detection and response (MDR) alongside a comprehensive portfolio of cybersecurity technologies — including endpoint, network, email, and cloud security, extended detection and response (XDR), identity threat detection and response (ITDR), and next-gen SIEM.
Emircom
Emircom is a leading systems integrator in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Possessing a broad specialization across the ICT field, it places a particular emphasis on the datacenter, video, security, and services technology verticals. For nearly three decades it has been the ICT partner of choice for many regional and global customers and vendors, including service providers, government agencies, educational institutions, finance houses, and healthcare organizations.
Manage Engine
ManageEngine is a division of Zoho Corporation and a leading provider of IT management solutions for organizations across the world. With a powerful, flexible, and AI-powered digital enterprise management platform, we help businesses get their work done from anywhere and everywhere—better, safer, and faster. To learn more, visit www.manageengine.com
Protiviti
Protiviti is a global consulting firm that delivers deep expertise, objective insights, a tailored approach, and unparalleled collaboration to help leaders confidently face the future. Protiviti and its independent and locally owned member firms provide clients with consulting and managed solutions in finance, technology, operations, data, digital, legal, HR, risk, and internal audit through a network of more than 90 offices in over 25 countries. Protiviti has served more than 80% of Fortune 100 companies and nearly 80% of Fortune 500 companies. The firm also works with government agencies and smaller, growing companies, including those looking to go public.
