The cybersecurity landscape in the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa (META) is undergoing a structural shift, propelled by accelerated digital transformation, pervasive AI adoption, and a regulatory environment that is both expanding and fragmenting.
The cybersecurity landscape in the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa (META) is undergoing a structural shift, propelled by accelerated digital transformation, pervasive AI adoption, and a regulatory environment that is both expanding and fragmenting. IDC forecasts that regional cybersecurity spending will surpass $12.5 billion in 2026 (up 14% year on year), with software and identity security outpacing other segments. The region is evolving from a consumer of cyber innovation to a producer, prioritizing sovereign trust, AI security, and cyber-physical resilience as strategic imperatives.
Agentic AI is moving rapidly from pilot to production, enabling real-time detection, mitigation, and self-healing across IT, OT, and cloud. While 85% of META organizations report having an AI strategy, fewer than 20% have implemented dedicated AI security frameworks — highlighting a critical gap as CISOs elevate AI governance, model security, and adversarial defense. Identity has become the fulcrum of cyber maturity, with GenAI and deepfake-driven fraud now the top threat vector, driving adoption of ITDR, IGaaS, and behavioral analytics, often integrated with national ID systems.
Cyber-physical risk is escalating: over 45% of organizations report increased incidents, and while 70% have integrated IT/OT, less than a quarter have dedicated OT security. Investments are accelerating in OT-MDR, protocol-native AI firewalls, and digital twins, underpinned by critical infrastructure mandates. The region is also shifting from fragmented, best-of-breed tools to platform-centric architectures that unify telemetry and automate response, driven by operational resilience and regulatory alignment rather than vendor lock-in.
CISOs must prioritize platform integration, agentic AI with explainability, robust identity and fraud defense, and cyber-physical security. Operationalizing sovereign trust and modernizing for hybrid/cloud-native environments are essential, as is closing workforce gaps through AI augmentation and upskilling. These actions are foundational for sustaining cyber resilience and regulatory compliance in META’s rapidly evolving threat and compliance landscape.
Sefa Merve Ağlaç
Kafein Technology Solutions
Director of Cybersecurity Solutions Business Unit
Yapay Zekâ Çağında Siber Savunmayı Yeniden Tanımlamak
Siber güvenlikte yeni bir dönemin eşiğindeyiz. Yapay zekâ, yalnızca kullandığımız teknolojileri değil, tehditlerin hızını ve güvenlik operasyonlarını yönetme biçimimizi de kökten değiştiriyor. Artık başarıyı daha fazla alarm üretmekle değil; gerçek tehdidi ne kadar hızlı anlayabildiğimiz, doğru önceliklendirebildiğimiz ve ne kadar hızlı aksiyon alabildiğimizle ölçmemiz gerekiyor. Google Security Operations, Google’ın küresel ölçekteki tehdit görünürlüğünü ve yapay zekâ yetkinliklerini güvenlik operasyonlarının merkezine taşıyarak kurumlara bu dönüşüm için güçlü bir zemin sunuyor. Biz de Kafein Technology olarak teknolojinin ötesinde, kurumların daha proaktif, çevik ve sürdürülebilir bir güvenlik yaklaşımına geçişini desteklemeyi önceliklendiriyoruz.
Önümüzdeki dönemde ise AI-Powered SOC’tan Agentic SOC’a geçişin siber güvenliğin en önemli dönüşümlerinden biri olacağına inanıyoruz. Yapay zekâ artık yalnızca analistlere yardımcı olan bir araç değil; tehditleri araştıran, olayları anlamlandıran, önceliklendiren ve güvenlik ekipleriyle birlikte aksiyon alan yeni bir çalışma modelinin parçası haline geliyor. Buradaki asıl değer, insanı süreçten çıkarmak değil; insan uzmanlığını yapay zekânın hızı ve ölçeğiyle güçlendirmek. Google Security Operations ve Gemini ile şekillenen bu yeni yaklaşımın, güvenlik ekiplerini alarm yöneten yapılardan çıkararak riski öngören, karar alan ve işin geleceğini koruyan stratejik yapılara dönüştüreceğine inanıyoruz.
In Partnership with
AI adoption in the UAE is accelerating, but for many organizations, business value is not keeping pace. More than four in five UAE organizations are already using Generative AI (GenAI), while nearly half have adopted agentic AI in some form. Yet, many AI initiatives remain siloed—confined to individual business units or specific workflows—with relatively few scaling successfully across the enterprise.
In many cases, the AI model itself is not the barrier to progress. The real challenge lies in the data that powers it. Data remains fragmented across multiple systems, inconsistently governed, and difficult to access and trust when AI agents and business users need it most.
Against this backdrop, IDC and Boomi bring together senior technology leaders from across the UAE for an exclusive roundtable focused on rethinking the data foundation required to scale AI with confidence.
The discussion will explore why AI-ready organizations are approaching data connectivity, governance, and activation as a unified strategy, rather than treating them as three separate initiatives. Leaders will examine how a stronger data foundation can help organizations move beyond isolated AI deployments and unlock greater enterprise-wide value.
The roundtable will also explore what this shift means for technology priorities, investment decisions, and AI ambitions over the next 12–24 months.
projected global economic impact of AI by 2029, open mainly to organizations with a ready data foundation.
Rethink the base layer, because AI value depends on data architecture
Breaking down data silos across systems, application and sources
Building trust into data with access control and lineage, for both people and AI agents
Turning governed data into real-time, usable AI context
Moving from isolated AI deployments to organization-wide AI initiatives requires solving foundational challenges. As the UAE rapidly transitions its public and private sectors toward autonomous systems, the pressure is on to accelerate agentic AI deployments. This session explores how a robust data strategy and unified platform-led approach unlocks true enterprise value in the agentic AI era.
Melih Murat
Associate Research Director, Artificial Intelligence (META), IDC
AI ambition is high, but results depend on what sits underneath: the data. Fragmented, ungoverned data keeps most AI initiatives from scaling, not the model. Ahmed shares why leading organizations now treat the data foundation as a business priority rather than an IT project, and what it takes to build one that is connected, governed and ready to activate. He also explains how Boomi helps customers bring their applications and data together as one trusted foundation, so AI delivers measurable business impact.
Ahmed el Hamouly
Senior Sales Director – ME, Boomi
Every enterprise now has an AI strategy. Far fewer have a data strategy strong enough to support one. Recent research shows that the large majority of generative AI pilots fail to deliver measurable return, not because the models are wrong, but because the data underneath them is fragmented, poorly governed, or missing business context. This session shows how to fix that. We’ll go through connecting applications and data sources across hybrid estates, creating trusted golden records, and governing access and lineage for both people and AI agents. We’ll also show how to activate that data as real-time context so agents can act on it with confidence.
Larbi Belbecir
Senior Solution Engineer, Boomi
Agreeing that data is the foundation for AI is easy; rebuilding it under the pressure of business expectations is where the real challenge lies. This panel brings the practitioner’s view, sharing what works, what doesn’t, and what organizations would do differently. The panel will also talk through how organizations are integrating data across legacy and cloud systems, setting up governance that gives people and AI agents the access they need without losing control, and turning data into context that AI can act on in real time.
Associate Research Director, Artificial Intelligence (META)
IDC
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In his role as associate research director for IT services and software across the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META), Melih drives IDC’s regional research and consulting engagements in the areas of IT services, Cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), and intelligent automation.
He first joined IDC in 2012 as a senior research analyst located out of IDC’s Istanbul office, with various responsibilities for the firm’s IT services, cloud computing, software, and telecom domains — both in Turkey and across the wider META region. Between 2016 and 2021, Melih headed the international marketing and investor relations practice at P.I. Works, a global automation and AI software vendor that serves telecom operators.
Now back at IDC, Melih is leveraging his vast experience in the IT services, cloud, software, and telecommunications domains to advise clients on go-to-market strategies, technology marketing and promotion activities, and market trends analysis. He is also driving a wide variety of research and consulting projects across the META region.
Melih has also previously served as enterprise channel and marketing manager at Nortel Turkey and as business development and strategy manager at Netaş, one of the leading systems integrators in Turkey and a former Nortel subsidiary. He possesses a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and received his MBA from Esslingen University of Applied Sciences in Germany. He has worked as a business development specialist at HP and wrote his MBA thesis for the company, covering European retail channel trends and winning strategies for channel businesses.
Moving from isolated AI deployments to organization-wide AI initiatives requires solving foundational challenges. As the UAE rapidly transitions its public and private sectors toward autonomous systems, the pressure is on to accelerate agentic AI deployments. This session explores how a robust data strategy and unified platform-led approach unlocks true enterprise value in the agentic AI era.
Senior Sales Director – ME
Boomi
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Ahmed ElHamouly is the Head of the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META) at Boomi, where he leads the company’s regional growth strategy and works closely with enterprises to accelerate their digital transformation initiatives.
Ahmed played a key role in establishing Boomi’s presence across the META region and expanding its footprint across multiple industries including telecommunications, logistics, retail, government, manufacturing, and financial services.
With more than two decades of experience in enterprise technology, Ahmed brings deep expertise in integration, data management, API-led architectures, and modern cloud platforms. He regularly works with CIOs and technology leaders to help organizations unlock the value of their data, modernize complex IT environments, and drive innovation through connected digital ecosystems.
Prior to joining Boomi, Ahmed held leadership roles at global technology organizations including Dell EMC, SAP, and Oracle.
AI ambition is high, but results depend on what sits underneath: the data. Fragmented, ungoverned data keeps most AI initiatives from scaling, not the model. Ahmed shares why leading organizations now treat the data foundation as a business priority rather than an IT project, and what it takes to build one that is connected, governed and ready to activate. He also explains how Boomi helps customers bring their applications and data together as one trusted foundation, so AI delivers measurable business impact.
Senior Solution Engineer
Boomi
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Larbi Belbecir serves as a senior solutions engineer at Boomi, where he thrives on collaborating with leading organizations to help them break down silos and enhance operational efficiency to deliver tangible business outcomes. Previously with IBM, he has more than 12 years of experience in helping enterprise clients across multiple industries accelerate their digital transformation journey through AI-infused integration and business automation solutions.
Every enterprise now has an AI strategy. Far fewer have a data strategy strong enough to support one. Recent research shows that the large majority of generative AI pilots fail to deliver measurable return, not because the models are wrong, but because the data underneath them is fragmented, poorly governed, or missing business context. This session shows how to fix that. We’ll go through connecting applications and data sources across hybrid estates, creating trusted golden records, and governing access and lineage for both people and AI agents. We’ll also show how to activate that data as real-time context so agents can act on it with confidence.
Boomi is the Data Activation Company, offering an enterprise iPaaS platform for integration, automation, API management, data management, and AI agent orchestration. Trusted by over 30,000 customers globally, it is a consistent Gartner Magic Quadrant leader, helping organizations connect applications, govern data, and power AI-driven workflows.
Meeting Room – Al Badir Ballroom
Jumeira St – Umm Suqeim Third – Umm Suqeim 3 – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
In Partnership With
AI adoption across supply chain is inevitable and most CISO and risk leaders already know it is reshaping how their ecosystem operates. The bigger question is visibility. Shadow AI is silently embedding itself into approved services, third-party operations, and sub-processors, outpacing the enterprise’s capacity for risk visibility. And it is accelerating IDC expects that by 2029, 40% of SaaS applications will be significantly augmented with agentic capabilities. Much of that will happen inside services organizations have already approved.
The visibility gap is real. IDC’s 2026 AI Platform Practitioner Survey found that 35% of organizations name the spread of Shadow AI as a top governance challenge, and 30% have no single system of record for the AI running in their environment. In the Middle East, only 27% of organizations manage AI risk at the level IDC defines as optimized: dynamic and real-time, with strict policies for agent use and permissioning.
IDC and Diligent invite senior IT security leaders to an exclusive evening in Dubai to compare notes on enhancing visibility of Shadow AI across the supply chain and governing it more effectively. The focus is on moving from periodic assurance towards continuous, proportionate oversight.
run AI risk management at the optimized tier, with real-time policies on agent use and permissioning
How AI comes in through approved services, model updates, sub processors and fourth parties, and how to see it better without trying to block adoption.
Which risk categories matter, what to ask across the supply chain, and how to match oversight to the level of exposure
What should prompt a reassessment, and who owns the response when AI risk in the supply chain shifts
How relying on the same few model and cloud providers creates shared points of failure across a supplier base that looks diversified
Shilpi Handa
Associate Research Director (META), IDC
Chlōe Dellow
Director – Sales, Diligent
Bram Ketting
Vice President, Business & Product Strategy, Diligent
As AI adoption accelerates, traditional assurance frameworks are struggling to keep pace with the evolving third-party risk landscape. This panel brings together security leaders to explore strategies for identifying and managing hidden dependencies across suppliers, subcontractors, and shared AI models. The discussion will focus on strengthening supply chain visibility, mitigating concentration risks, and building resilient ecosystems that minimize single points of failure in an increasingly interconnected AI-driven world.
Shilpi Handa
Associate Research Director (META), IDC
Chlōe Dellow
Director – Sales, Diligent
Bram Ketting
Vice President, Business & Product Strategy, Diligent
Associate Research Director (META)
IDC
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As AI adoption accelerates, traditional assurance frameworks are struggling to keep pace with the evolving third-party risk landscape. This panel brings together security leaders to explore strategies for identifying and managing hidden dependencies across suppliers, subcontractors, and shared AI models. The discussion will focus on strengthening supply chain visibility, mitigating concentration risks, and building resilient ecosystems that minimize single points of failure in an increasingly interconnected AI-driven world.
Director – Sales
Diligent
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Chlōe holds 7+ years of experience partnering with organisations including FTSE 100 and Fortune 100/500 companies on third-party risk and GRC transformation initiatives, advising organisations on best practices, innovation, emerging risks and considerations.
Chlōe is a strategic advisor focused on supporting organisations with different levels of programme maturity. She supports customers in developing and scaling their risk, compliance and third-party risk strategies, and ensuring consistent, measurable, and outcome-focused results.
She combines this with a strong focus on sharing market trends, peer benchmarks and real-world observations to help organisations stay ahead of an evolving risk and regulatory landscape.
She has deep expertise in navigating complex frameworks such as NIST, DORA, NIS2 and ISO 27001, with particular focus on highly regulated industries including financial services.
As AI adoption accelerates, traditional assurance frameworks are struggling to keep pace with the evolving third-party risk landscape. This panel brings together security leaders to explore strategies for identifying and managing hidden dependencies across suppliers, subcontractors, and shared AI models. The discussion will focus on strengthening supply chain visibility, mitigating concentration risks, and building resilient ecosystems that minimize single points of failure in an increasingly interconnected AI-driven world.
Vice President, Business & Product Strategy
Diligent
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As AI adoption accelerates, traditional assurance frameworks are struggling to keep pace with the evolving third-party risk landscape. This panel brings together security leaders to explore strategies for identifying and managing hidden dependencies across suppliers, subcontractors, and shared AI models. The discussion will focus on strengthening supply chain visibility, mitigating concentration risks, and building resilient ecosystems that minimize single points of failure in an increasingly interconnected AI-driven world.
At Diligent, we believe in a world where transformational leaders can build more successful, equitable and sustainable organizations.
One million users and more than 700,000 board members and leaders rely on Diligent software to connect insights across governance, risk, compliance and audit to drive greater impact and lead with purpose.
Meeting Room – Al Noor Meeting Room
Po 45777 – Al Kheeran – Dubai Festival City – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
In Saudi Arabia, cloud is moving from build-out to operation. IDC forecasts public cloud services revenue of $5.85 billion in 2026, yet 46% of Saudi organizations say limited cloud skills stop them realizing the full value of cloud, and 35% point to legacy infrastructure.
Data protection rules, fully enforceable since September 2024, and in-country capacity now shape where workloads run. The organizations that pull ahead will decide deliberately what to migrate, what to modernize and where each workload belongs.
This executive event offers IT decisionmakers in Riyadh a confidential setting for peer exchange, alongside perspectives from IDC, Dynatrace & AWS on sequencing migration and modernization across hybrid estates.
say limited cloud skills stop them from realizing the full value of cloud
IDC’s 2025Q4 forecast puts Saudi Arabia’s public cloud services revenue at $5.85 billion in2026. Security software ($978 million), compute infrastructure ($739 million) and AI core software ($579 million) are the three largest segments.
Business applications and data management also rank in the top eight, showing that spend extends beyond infrastructure to the workload’s organizations are modernizing.
Sequencing Migration and Modernization
How to decide which workloads to rehost, refactor or retain, and in what order. Where leaders balance the speed of migration against the risk of moving applications unchanged.
Hybrid Operations, Security and Skills
How to decide where each workload runs as data protection rules shape placement, and how to keep security and compliance consistent across environments. Where skills gaps, partners and managed services fit.
Cost, Performance and Visibility
How to keep cloud costs predictable and application performance visible during and after migration, including as AI raises cloud budgets. Which measures show that modernization delivers results.
AI observability
How to see, trace and trust AI-enabled applications and the cloud estates they run on, from performance and cost to model behavior. What leaders need to monitor as cloud AI budgets rise.
Senior Research Manager, Cloud and Datacenter Services
IDC
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Jebin George is part of IDC’s Enterprise Infrastructure global research domain. He focuses on cloud, datacenter, and infrastructure adoption trends across the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa, with particular emphasis on how cloud strategies are evolving in the era of AI and increasing digital sovereignty requirements. His research provides strategic guidance to hyperscalers, telecom operators, system integrators, and enterprise CIOs as they navigate hybrid multicloud adoption, AI-driven infrastructure modernization, and sovereign cloud frameworks.
Jebin brings 20 years of technology market research experience, including 16 years with IDC Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa. Throughout his tenure, he has led syndicated research, custom consulting engagements, and executive advisory initiatives focused on the evolution of the cloud market, hyperscaler ecosystems, and enterprise digital transformation strategies. Prior to IDC, he worked with SunTec Business Solutions, where he supported global market research and consulting initiatives for international ICT markets.
Cloud in Saudi Arabia is moving from build-out to operation. The question is no longer whether to adopt cloud but how to modernize what is already there. That means deciding which applications to move or rebuild, where data protection rules place each workload, and what limits the value organizations get from cloud today.
Cloud in Saudi Arabia is moving from build-out to operation. The question is no longer whether to adopt cloud but how to modernize what is already there. That means deciding which applications to move or rebuild, where data protection rules place each workload, and what limits the value organizations get from cloud today.
Jebin George
Senior Research Manager, Cloud and Datacenter Services, IDC
Applications now span several clouds, and AI workloads add behavior that is harder to predict. AI observability gives teams one view of performance, dependencies and model behavior. Problems can then be traced to their cause, and workloads reach production with evidence that they are ready.
Not every application should move in the same way. Rehosting, refactoring and retaining carry different cost, risk and speed, and the order of moves decides how quickly value arrives. Good sequencing starts from business priorities and the readiness of each workload.
Speed and control pull in different directions during migration. Security and compliance must stay consistent as workloads move between environments, skills gaps slow delivery, and results still need to be measured. Peer experience shows where programs hold up and where they stall.
The priorities that emerge across sequencing, hybrid operations, cost and performance, and AI observability, and the first actions that follow from them.
Today, every business is a digital business — comprised of data, systems, operations, infrastructure, and analytics, all expanding in volume and complexity at an unprecedented pace.
Our game-changing unified observability platform enables you to understand your systems, your data, and your business like never before, so you can analyze, automate, and innovate faster.
For 20 years, Amazon Web Services has been the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud. AWS offers more than 240 fully featured services spanning compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), security, and application development. With 123 Availability Zones across 39 geographic regions globally, and announced plans for 7 additional Availability Zones and 2 more AWS Regions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Chile, AWS provides the infrastructure to support virtually any cloud workload.
Millions of customers — including the fastest-growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies — trust AWS to power their infrastructure, accelerate innovation, and reduce costs. AWS continues to invest in expanding its global footprint and service capabilities to help organizations of all sizes transform their businesses and achieve their goals.”
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The session goes further showing how built-in AI, including explainable models and conversational copilots, is helping banks automate alert review and reach faster, defensible decisions.
Tackling the alert bottleneck in real-time banking
The review window banks once had to catch a bad payment before it cleared is disappearing, and alert volumes are the first place that pressure shows up. How are banks addressing this.
Transforming compliance lifecycles
Why detection, decisioning and workflow orchestration are converging into a single view spanning AML, fraud prevention and sanctions screening, as banks move away from disconnected point tools.
Agentic and explainable AI
How built-in AI, including explainable models and conversational copilots, helps banks automate alert review and reach faster, defensible decisions.
Governance without gridlock
Why banks that balance speed and oversight treat compliance, risk and the business as one decision instead of separate sign-offs.
Sam Abadir
Research Director, Risk, Financial Crime, and Compliance, IDC
IDC presents new research on financial crime risk and investment trends across the Middle East and Africa, and what moving beyond risk to real impact looks like for banks managing financial crime compliance.
Sam Abadir
Research Director, Risk, Financial Crime, and Compliance, IDC
Marcus Swanepoel
Business Solutions Group Manager, Temenos
As banks compete on speed and reach, growth and risk appetite are becoming one decision instead of two. This panel brings together senior banking executives to discuss how their risk appetite is shifting as financial crime threats and real-time payments
both accelerate.
Sam Abadir
Research Director, Risk, Financial Crime, and Compliance, IDC
Marcus Swanepoel
Business Solutions Group Manager, Temenos
George Edward Neizar
Head Information Communication Technology (ICT), ARB Apex Bank Ltd
Sam Abadir
Research Director, Risk, Financial Crime, and Compliance, IDC
Research Director, Risk, Financial Crime, and Compliance
IDC
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As banks compete on speed and reach, growth and risk appetite are becoming one decision instead of two. This panel brings together senior banking executives to discuss how their risk appetite is shifting as financial crime threats and real-time payments
both accelerate.
IDC presents new research on financial crime risk and investment trends across the Middle East and Africa, and what moving beyond risk to real impact looks like for banks managing financial crime compliance.
Business Solutions Group Manager
Temenos
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As banks compete on speed and reach, growth and risk appetite are becoming one decision instead of two. This panel brings together senior banking executives to discuss how their risk appetite is shifting as financial crime threats and real-time payments
both accelerate.
Head Information Communication Technology (ICT)
ARB Apex Bank Ltd
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George Edward Neizer is the Head of ICT at ARB Apex Bank Plc, with over 20 years of experience in information technology and digital transformation.
As banks compete on speed and reach, growth and risk appetite are becoming one decision instead of two. This panel brings together senior banking executives to discuss how their risk appetite is shifting as financial crime threats and real-time payments
both accelerate.
Known as a true pioneer in core banking software since 1993, we now serve over 950 core banking and 600 digital banking clients, giving financial institutions the power to make banking more accessible so their customers can live their best financial lives. Financial institutions of all sizes harness our technology – on-premises, in the cloud, or as SaaS – to create new services and AI-powered experiences that transform banking for their customers.
We constantly innovate to combine rich, trusted functionality with cutting-edge technology. We help our clients create new growth opportunities, drive efficiencies at scale and achieve cost-to-income ratios at half the industry average. Our commitment to innovation and our depth of banking expertise means the financial institutions who work with Temenos will control and own their technology futures.
The IDC IT Security Summit 2026 brought together IT leaders to discover the latest trends and advancements in cybersecurity.
Associate Research Director (META)
IDC
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Country General Manager
Exabeam
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Senior Sales Engineer
Delinea
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Head of Information Security Section & Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA)
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VP Cyber Security, Governance, Risk and Compliance & Aircraft Cyber Security
Qatar Airways
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Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
CQUR Bank LLC
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Group Chief Digital & AI Officer
Qatar Insurance Group
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Information Security Expert
Leading Government Entity
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As AI agents gain autonomy to access data, make decisions, and act across enterprise systems, they introduce a new and rapidly expanding attack surface that traditional security models weren’t built to handle. This keynote draws on IDC research to outline how security leaders can govern agent identities, enforce guardrails, and build resilient architectures that let organizations scale agentic AI with confidence.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Exabeam is the leader in behavior intelligence for the agentic enterprise. As organizations deploy digital workers and confront machine-speed adversaries, Exabeam applies agent-powered analytics to understand and govern the behavior of both human and non-human insiders. With integrated Exabeam Nova cybersecurity agents, Exabeam delivers flexible, industry-proven solutions for insider threat coverage of humans and agents and faster, more accurate threat detection, investigation, and response (TDIR). As the pioneer of user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA) and the innovator behind Agent Behavior Analytics (ABA), Exabeam is trusted by more than 3,000 enterprises worldwide to reduce risk, secure the digital workforce, and accelerate security operations. Learn more at www.exabeam.com.
Exabeam: Real Intelligence. Real Security. Real Fast.
Delinea helps organizations reduce identity-based risk while enabling secure, seamless access across the modern enterprise. As the identity security control plane, Delinea protects every human, machine, and AI identity with real-time, context-aware access, replacing static privilege with just-in-time, policy-driven controls that maintain security without slowing down the business. Delinea continuously discovers identities, privileges, and access pathways, giving teams full visibility into who has access and why. With unified enforcement, automation, and auditing, organizations can apply least privilege consistently and move toward Zero Standing Privilege at their own pace without requiring a rip-and-replace approach.
By 2028 40% of large enterprises in the META region will have a dedicated budget for GenAI Fraud Defense
Vahit Gümüş
Information & Cyber Security Group Manager
Karadeniz Holding
Siber güvenlikte başarı ölçütü değişiyor: soru artık “saldırıya uğradık mı” değil, “saldırı altında işimizi ne kadar sürdürebildik” oldu. Kurum başına haftalık saldırı hacmi 2025’te ortalama 1.968’e, yıllık %18 artışla ulaştı; büyük kurumların önemli bir bölümü son bir yılda en az bir üçüncü taraf kaynaklı ihlal yaşadı. Üretim yürüten kurumlarda bu tablo doğrudan hat duruşu, tedarik gecikmesi ve ticari kayıp anlamına geliyor. Buna rağmen küresel araştırmalar, endüstriyel ortamı olan kurumların yalnızca beşte birinde özel bir OT güvenlik ekibi bulunduğunu, çok azının OT risklerini yönetim kuruluna raporladığını gösteriyor. Aynı dönemde yapay zekâ hem savunmayı hızlandırıyor hem de yeni bir saldırı yüzeyi açıyor; kurumsal süreçlere giren otonom ajanlar yetkilendirilmesi ve izlenmesi gereken yeni kimlikler doğururken, onaysız yapay zekâ kullanımı veriyi sessizce kurum dışına taşıyabiliyor. Derinleşen regülasyonlar ve tedarik zinciri denetimleri ise güvenliğin yalnızca uygulanmasını değil, kanıtlanabilir olmasını zorunlu kılıyor. Dayanıklılık artık bir proje başlığı değil; kimlik, veri, operasyon ve yönetişimi tek çatı altında toplayan, tatbik edilmiş ve ölçülebilir bir kurumsal refleks olmalı.
Hosted By
AI spending in Qatar is projected to top USD 2 billion by 2029. Enterprises here are moving past isolated experiments, putting AI into the systems that actually run the business.
This executive summit brings Qatar’s IT and infrastructure leaders together across two tracks: infrastructure built to run AI reliably, and AI-driven automation designed to run IT operations more powerfully.
From resilient infrastructure to security to AI-powered automation, explore what it takes to run AI at the heart of the business.
How infrastructure performance, security, and resilience hold up under AI workloads that can’t tolerate downtime.
Where infrastructure-level security and third-party integrations protect AI workloads without adding friction.
How cyber-resilient storage keeps critical data recoverable when everything else fails.
Where AI-powered observability and automation keep infrastructure running without adding headcount.
How hybrid integration and identity security keep AI agents accountable across on-prem and multicloud.
Raid Shahin
General Manager, GBM Qatar
This keynote lays out what “autonomous IT” actually means in practice: infrastructure resilient enough to absorb failure and security threats without constant oversight, and IT operations automated enough to scale with AI demand without scaling headcount. IDC sets out why this shift is now the baseline for Qatar’s IT organizations.
Shahin Hashim
Associate Research Director (META), IDC
AI is moving beyond assistants to autonomous agents that reason, decide and execute end-to-end processes. In this keynote, we will explore how the autonomous enterprise is reshaping how organizations operate and compete. It also covers what it takes to scale from pilots to agent-driven operations, that includes a trusted data foundation, high-value use cases and strong Data & AI governance that keeps autonomy secure, transparent and accountable.
Tamer Aly
Practice Leader – Data & AI, GBM
As AI reshapes enterprise IT, organizations must move beyond reactive management toward autonomous, self-optimizing operations. This keynote explores how AI-driven automation, predictive intelligence, and self-healing infrastructure are transforming IT operations across Qatar and the region- reducing downtime, strengthening security, and enabling teams to focus on innovation. Attendees will gain practical insights into building an autonomous IT strategy fit for the AI era
Mohamed Amr
IBM Business Unit Manager, GBM
11:10AM – 11:40AM
Ahmad Hussein
Technology Systems Architect, IBM
11:40AM – 12:00PM
Ahmad Hussein
Technology Systems Architect, IBM
12:00PM – 12:20PM
Ahmad Hussein
Technology Systems Architect, IBM
11:10AM – 11:30AM
Ahmed Lashin
Data & AI Senior Technical Specialist, IBM
11:30AM – 11:50AM
Joy Paul
Practice Leader – IBM Analytics, Risk, Sustainability & AI, GBM
11:50AM – 12:10PM
Feras Juma
Integration Technical Sales Leader, Middle East and Africa, IBM
12:10PM – 12:30PM
Rahul Jaini
Practice Leader- IBM DevOps, AIOps, Cloud, FinOps, Observability and Enterprise Automation, GBM
General Manager
GBM Qatar
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Associate Research Director (META)
IDC
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This keynote lays out what “autonomous IT” actually means in practice: infrastructure resilient enough to absorb failure and security threats without constant oversight, and IT operations automated enough to scale with AI demand without scaling headcount. IDC sets out why this shift is now the baseline for Qatar’s IT organizations.
Practice Leader – Data & AI
GBM
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Tamer Aly leads the Data & AI Practice at GBM, where he helps organizations across the region turn AI ambition into business results. With more than 25 years of experience across multiple industries, he advises clients at every stage of their AI transformation, from shaping the initial roadmap to scaling solutions across the enterprise.
AI is moving beyond assistants to autonomous agents that reason, decide and execute end-to-end processes. In this keynote, we will explore how the autonomous enterprise is reshaping how organizations operate and compete. It also covers what it takes to scale from pilots to agent-driven operations, that includes a trusted data foundation, high-value use cases and strong Data & AI governance that keeps autonomy secure, transparent and accountable.
IBM Business Unit Manager
GBM
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Mohamed Amr leads the IBM Software & Systems business unit with more than 27 years in the IT industry across IBM and GBM Qatar. His role is to expand GBM Digital transformation Solution footprint, encompassing Data & AI, AIOps, AI Governance and Counter Fraud Management, demonstrating robust growth in market share and revenue. Oversee all aspects of including strategic planning and execution to achieve business unit objectives.
As AI reshapes enterprise IT, organizations must move beyond reactive management toward autonomous, self-optimizing operations. This keynote explores how AI-driven automation, predictive intelligence, and self-healing infrastructure are transforming IT operations across Qatar and the region- reducing downtime, strengthening security, and enabling teams to focus on innovation. Attendees will gain practical insights into building an autonomous IT strategy fit for the AI era
Technology Systems Architect
IBM
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Ahmad Hussein is a technology advisor with over 22 years of experience helping organizations translate complex infrastructure challenges into practical, business-driven solutions. His expertise spans IBM Power, Storage, Red Hat Linux, and hybrid cloud, backed by extensive experience in technical sales, consulting, architecture, and customer engagement.
Data & AI Senior Technical Specialist
IBM
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Ahmed Lashin is a seasoned Data & AI professional and a published technical author. Currently he is a Senior Technical Specialist at IBM, bringing over 18 years of experience in designing and delivering enterprise data and AI solutions and helping organizations to drive innovation and business transformation. His expertise spans Enterprise Data Architecture, AI, Advanced Analytics, and Governance, with a proven track record of delivering strategic solutions across diverse industries.
Practice Leader – IBM Analytics, Risk, Sustainability & AI
GBM
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Joy Paul is a seasoned practice leader in IBM Analytics, Risk, Sustainability & AI at GBM, with over 25 years of experience driving data-driven transformations across MEA and India. An IBM Champion for seven years, Joy specializes in Performance Management, ESG & Sustainability, Responsible AI Governance, GPRC (Governance, Performance, Risk and Compliance) and Counter Fraud Management.
Integration Technical Sales Leader, Middle East and Africa
IBM
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Feras Juma has over 24 years of experience in the IT industry, I specialize in guiding customers through their digital transformation journeys, helping them realize the value of initiatives around Hybrid Cloud, AI, Hybrid Integration, API Management, and Process Automation. My extensive background across diverse technologies enables me to drive impactful change and unlock the full potential of data to deliver real value.
Practice Leader- IBM DevOps, AIOps, Cloud, FinOps, Observability and Enterprise Automation
GBM
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Rahul Jaini is a technology and digital transformation leader with over 20 years of experience in DevOps, AIOps, Cloud, FinOps, Observability and Enterprise Automation. Based in Dubai, he works with GBM , helping organizations across the GCC modernize IT operations, accelerate software delivery, and drive business value through emerging technologies.
GBM Qatar is a 100% Qatari company and the country’s leading digital transformation partner, with over 35 years of experience delivering cloud, cybersecurity, managed services, infrastructure, and AI solutions to 150+ clients across government, finance, healthcare, and other key sectors. Backed by strategic alliances with IBM, Microsoft, Cisco, and Google, GBM Qatar combines deep local market expertise with global technology innovation to empower Qatar’s digital future.
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