AI-Driven Security, Governance, Risk and Compliance

About the Summit

Security Symposium 2026 stands as the region’s definitive arena for cybersecurity leadership. It brings together CIOs, CISOs, policymakers, innovators, and future-forward technology strategists who shape the digital safety of nations and enterprises alike.

Anchored in the theme Cyber Resilience, the symposium confronts the new battleground of security: hyper-connected ecosystems, AI-supercharged threats, sprawling digital estates, and tightening regulatory frameworks. In a world where attacks evolve faster than defenses, the symposium delivers clarity, direction, and battle-tested strategies.

This is where organisations learn how to outpace adversaries, fortify their digital foundations, and transform cybersecurity from a defensive shield into a competitive edge.

Not just to survive — but to thrive in a threat-saturated world.

Event Agenda

9:10 am - 9:40 am

Opening Keynote: The CISO in 2026 — Architect of Digital Trust

A deep look at the expanding CISO mandate in cloud, AI, security, compliance & business resilience.
Topics:

  • The modern CISO as strategist, risk leader, and AI enabler
  • Board expectations and new accountability models
  • Balancing transformation with cyber readiness

9:40 am - 10:10 am

Keynote: AI Agents vs. AI Defenders — The New Battlefield

Exploring how agentic AI is reshaping attacks (automated exploitation, social engineering, deepfakes) and defence (autonomous SOCs, AI-led remediation).

10:10 am - 10:50 am

Panel Discussion: The Evolving Threat Landscape in 2026

Attackers are faster, smarter, and increasingly automated. How can enterprises respond?
Topics:

  • Identity-based attacks
  • Cloud misconfigurations
  • Nation-state tactics
  • Ransomware 3.0

10:50 am - 11:10 am

Networking Coffee Break

Partner showcase opens.

11:10 am - 11:40 am

CISO Fireside Chat: AI security at enterprise scale

Why 70% of AI projects fail to reach operational maturity and how CISOs can build resilient AI ecosystems.

11:40 am - 12:10 pm

Panel: Attack surface management in a hybrid everything world

How do organisations secure thousands of identities, apps, devices, APIs, clouds, SaaS apps, and third-party dependencies?
Topics:

  • ASM automation
  • Real-time mapping
  • Third-party risk
  • Shadow IT visibility
  • Continuous validation

12:20 pm - 1:20 pm

Networking Lunch + Sponsor Showcases

1:20 pm - 1:50 pm

Executive Keynote: SOC modernisation

Reinventing detection and response with AI, automation, and cloud-native design.

1:50 pm - 2:30 pm

Panel: AI-driven SOC — Promise, hype, and reality

Topics:

  • Transitioning from SIEM to XDR to Autonomous SOC
  • Reducing alert fatigue
  • AI correlation and reasoning
  • Integrating human expertise in AI-led operations

2:30 pm - 3:10 pm

Breakout Sessions

Track A – Threat Intelligence
Threat intelligence for geopolitical, OT, and AI-enabled threats.
Track B – Critical Infrastructure Security
OT/ICS, SCADA, industrial threat vectors & IT–OT convergence.

3:10 pm - 3:30 pm

Refreshments & Networking Break

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Case Study Spotlight: Incident Response

4:00 pm - 4:40 pm

Panel: Aligning cybersecurity with business value and ROI

Cyber isn’t just protection—it’s performance.
Topics:

  • Quantifying cyber resilience
  • Budget optimisation
  • Tracking ROI
  • Communicating risk in financial language
  • Resilience-as-a-business-enabler

4:40 pm - 5:00 pm

Closing Keynote: Cyber resilience for the next decade

The future of autonomous defence, secure AI, and enterprise reinvention.

5:00 pm - 5:15 pm

Awards and Appreciation Ceremony

Speakers 2025

Ahmad Fida

Regional Sales Director

Ahmed AlZarouni

First Vice President Information Technology

Carlo Loveri

Risk and Business Continuity Manager

Chenthil Kumar

Head of Information Security

Denis Yakimov

Head of Information Security and Privacy

Dhiraj Lal

Executive Director

Dr Carlotta Rodriquez

Managing Director @ Adenium Risk and Coaching /Assistant professor in Crisis and risk management

Dr. Ebrahim Al Alkeem

Government Entity

Dr. Jassim Al Awadhi

Digital Transformation Principal

Faisal Khan

Associate Director Information Security and Compliance

Goutam Pudota

Director, Global Infrastructure & Information Security

Hussain Al Khalsan

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

Ibrahim Adedeji Adefila

IT Security and Governance Manager

Ilias Spyridon Efthymiopoulos

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

Jeevan Badigari

Head of Cybersecurity

Kausar Mukeri

Vice President , Chief Information Security Officer ( Ciso )

Kawther Haciane

Partner/Principal | Risk Consulting - Digital Risk

Manish Agarwal

CISO & CIO

Muhammad Irfan

Head of IT and Security

Osama Salah

Senior IT Security Architect

Padam Kafle

Head of Innovation

Saquib Farooq Malik

Head of Information Security

Sarfaraz Muneer

Vice President Cyber Security Assurance

Vishal Vaghela

CISO | Leading Retail Industry

Sponsors 2025

Venue Floor Plan

COMING SOON