Speakers
Shilpi Handa
Event Sessions
One Day Event 11:35 am
End User Panel Discussion: Secure AI in Action: Lessons from CISOs
End users share real-world experiences implementing secure AI frameworks, focusing on compliance, identity, and network segmentation. Panelists will highlight the practical steps taken to align AI initiatives with organizational risk management and regulatory requirements. They will discuss the importance of cross-functional collaboration between security, IT, and business teams to ensure AI deployments are both secure and scalable. The session will also explore how organizations are adapting their security postures to address emerging AI threats and vulnerabilities. Attendees will gain insights into lessons learned and best practices for operationalizing secure AI.
One Day Event 12:05 pm
Group Innovation Challenge: Crisis Command- The CISO Resilience Challenge
An interactive, fast-paced crisis simulation where each table acts as the leadership team of a major organization responding to escalating regional instability, cyber threats, misinformation, operational disruption, and executive pressure. Teams must make rapid strategic decisions under uncertainty, balance business and security priorities, and adapt to evolving crisis scenarios in real time. Designed to be engaging, competitive, and highly realistic, the experience focuses on leadership, resilience, communication, and decision-making during chaos.
One Day Event 10:05 am
IDC Keynote: Orchestrating Resilience Amid Transformation, Regulation, and Emerging Threats
META’s cybersecurity agenda is shaped by unprecedented digital acceleration, regulatory dynamism, and the proliferation of advanced threats across IT, OT, and cloud. As organizations embrace AI, platform-centric architectures, and hybrid environments, the attack surface expands and adversaries become more sophisticated—leveraging GenAI, identity compromise, and cyber-physical exploits.
One Day Event 10:00 am
IDC Welcome Address
Raghu Vamsi
As the Regional Director – North Gulf and India at Exabeam, Raghu the Business and Operations of a leading security intelligence and analytics platform that empowers organizations to detect, respond, and neutralize cyber threats. With over a decade of experience in the cyber security domain, he has a strong track record of delivering value to customers across various sectors and regions, leveraging my MBA in Strategy and General Management from IIM K. His core competencies include cyber security strategy, cloud security, enterprise risk management, SOC, SIEM, MSSP, governance. Raghu enjoy’s collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to create innovative and effective solutions.
Event Sessions
One Day Event 10:25 am
Beyond Security: Unlocking Enterprise Agility and Value with AI
As AI reshapes the enterprise, security must go beyond protection to become a driver of business agility and value. Exabeam explores how AI-powered security intelligence streamlines operations, accelerates decision-making, and empowers organizations to innovate with confidence.
Vijay Balakrishnan
Vijay Balakrishnan is a Senior Sales Engineer at Delinea covering the Middle East and Africa region, based in Dubai. With extensive experience across Privileged Access Management, Identity Security, and Cloud Infrastructure Protection, Vijay works with enterprise customers across UAE, Qatar, and Africa to design and deploy PAM strategies that reduce identity risk at scale. He specialises in SaaS-first PAM architectures, Non-Human Identity governance, and integrating privilege controls into AI and developer workflows.
Event Sessions
One Day Event 10:45 am
Securing Privileged Access in the Age of AI, Hybrid Environments, and Ever-Scaling NHI
With AI, hybrid environments, and Non-Human Identities rapidly expanding the attack surface, privileged access management has never been more critical. Delinea explores how organizations can effectively govern and secure both human and machine identities at scale.
Thamer Mashhadi
Head of Information Security Section & Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA)
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Thamer Mashhadi
Head of Information Security Section and CISO at the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA), responsible for leading cybersecurity strategy and overseeing security operations for critical aviation systems. Experienced in aligning cybersecurity with regulatory compliance and digital transformation initiatives, with a strong focus on emerging domains such as AI security, risk management, and resilient critical infrastructure.
Event Sessions
One Day Event 11:35 am
End User Panel Discussion: Secure AI in Action: Lessons from CISOs
End users share real-world experiences implementing secure AI frameworks, focusing on compliance, identity, and network segmentation. Panelists will highlight the practical steps taken to align AI initiatives with organizational risk management and regulatory requirements. They will discuss the importance of cross-functional collaboration between security, IT, and business teams to ensure AI deployments are both secure and scalable. The session will also explore how organizations are adapting their security postures to address emerging AI threats and vulnerabilities. Attendees will gain insights into lessons learned and best practices for operationalizing secure AI.
Farhan Chaudhry
VP Cyber Security, Governance, Risk and Compliance & Aircraft Cyber Security
Qatar Airways
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Farhan Chaudhry
Farhan is currently VP Cyber Security, Governance, Risk and Compliance & Aircraft Cyber Security at Qatar Airways.
Farhan is an accomplished Executive across Financial Services including Banking and Insurance, Aviation and the Legal Sector. He is an industry leading executive for driving Change and Transformation, as well as building and enforcing governance controls for Technology and Cyber Risks, as well as Operational and Transformation Risk Governance and driving Cloud Adoption and Transformation. Farhan is a Board member with the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales). Farhan is a former Head of Business Assurance and Risk, as well as CIO EMEA, CIO International, at State Street Corporation and Enterprise Risk Head, as well as Head of Transformation and Emerging Risks at Deutsche Bank. He has been Head of IT at OCBC, as well as managed large change and transformation programmes for March and McLennan, American Express and Threadneedle Asset Management with JP Morgan. He has extensive Business Continuity, and IT Disaster Recovery experience, coupled with Cloud and Data Governance and Risk and Control enablement. He has been Transformation Executive for DACB Beachcroft, and lead Cloud Transformation and CxO Advisory for Metro Bank as well as Pictet Asset Management.
His experience and expertise includes Global Regulatory Engagement, and implementing reporting to enable Board’s and executives to drive risk based decisions, as well driving bottom up risk and control assessments, and driving lean value driven teams. This includes driving Cyber and Operational Resiliency, policies, procedures and aggregation insights for driving informed decisions. Key focus areas include Data Principles associated with Cloud Adoption, Concentration Risk, Multi Jurisdictional Regulatory Obligations, and Substitutability and Exit Planning
Along with his BSc and MSc, he has graduated with an Executive Masters in Technology Management at Columbia University in the City of New York, and is a 2020 as well as 2021 UK CSO30 winner.
Event Sessions
One Day Event 11:35 am
End User Panel Discussion: Secure AI in Action: Lessons from CISOs
End users share real-world experiences implementing secure AI frameworks, focusing on compliance, identity, and network segmentation. Panelists will highlight the practical steps taken to align AI initiatives with organizational risk management and regulatory requirements. They will discuss the importance of cross-functional collaboration between security, IT, and business teams to ensure AI deployments are both secure and scalable. The session will also explore how organizations are adapting their security postures to address emerging AI threats and vulnerabilities. Attendees will gain insights into lessons learned and best practices for operationalizing secure AI.
Vladimir Kanyshev
Vladimir Kanyshev is the chief information security officer of CQUR Bank. He has worked in the EMEA financial and information security industry for 8+ years. He holds various cybersecurity, data privacy, and project management certifications, including CISM and CDPSA. Prior to entering the information security field, he worked for 12 years as a senior developer/project lead in engineering and research and development.
Event Sessions
One Day Event 11:35 am
End User Panel Discussion: Secure AI in Action: Lessons from CISOs
End users share real-world experiences implementing secure AI frameworks, focusing on compliance, identity, and network segmentation. Panelists will highlight the practical steps taken to align AI initiatives with organizational risk management and regulatory requirements. They will discuss the importance of cross-functional collaboration between security, IT, and business teams to ensure AI deployments are both secure and scalable. The session will also explore how organizations are adapting their security postures to address emerging AI threats and vulnerabilities. Attendees will gain insights into lessons learned and best practices for operationalizing secure AI.
Lars Gehrmann
With 25 years of experience in building digital ventures, I am passionate about driving innovation and growth in the insurance industry. First exposure to Digital Insurance MGA in the year 2000. Build, scaled, sold or crashed 11 Ventures outside insurance. Currently mainly focussed on AI impact on Insurance value chain within QIC and the wider ecosystem.
Working for QIC Insurance, a market-leading Insurer in the MENA region as Group Chief Digital Officer building and investing in InsurTech. I oversee the digital strategy of QIC Group, creating a diverse portfolio of digital ventures through strategic partnerships, QIC Venture Builder, and our Corporate VC.
As the CoFounder and Head of QIC Digital Venture Partners (QIC DVP), I lead the venture building and corporate VC activities of QIC Group. AI is powering most of our ventures.
Abdulrahman Hassan
Abdulrahman Hassan is Information Security Expert. He is also the chairman of the board of trustees at Al Mahd International School where he provides technical advisory services. He is an experienced and highly skilled professional in the field of IT and information security, with an impressive career spanning 20 years. He has expertise in a diverse range of areas, including AI, cybersecurity, IT service management, IT governance, technology risk, business continuity, and project management. Throughout his career, he has played a vital role in integrating IT and information security capabilities to drive innovative and business-focused operations, resulting in enhanced operational efficiencies, revenue growth, and competitive market positioning. He has also shared his expertise locally and internationally as an IT consultant. Known for his fresh perspectives on innovation, he brings valuable insights to various discussions.
Event Sessions
One Day Event 11:35 am
End User Panel Discussion: Secure AI in Action: Lessons from CISOs
End users share real-world experiences implementing secure AI frameworks, focusing on compliance, identity, and network segmentation. Panelists will highlight the practical steps taken to align AI initiatives with organizational risk management and regulatory requirements. They will discuss the importance of cross-functional collaboration between security, IT, and business teams to ensure AI deployments are both secure and scalable. The session will also explore how organizations are adapting their security postures to address emerging AI threats and vulnerabilities. Attendees will gain insights into lessons learned and best practices for operationalizing secure AI.