Middle East Cybersecurity Conference Kicks Off in Abu Dhabi
Jerusalem, 17 May, 2023 (TPS) -- DUBAI, 16th May, 2023 (WAM)
The UAE Cybersecurity Council, in collaboration with Microsoft, launched the Middle East Cybersecurity Conference at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
The two-days conference will bring CIOs, CSOs and other key subject matter experts together from across government and private sectors to share their knowledge and insights into the latest innovations and developments in the areas of cybersecurity and data protection.
“The world is on the exciting cusp of a fourth industrial revolution driven by connectivity and digital technologies. With so much at stake, robust and effective cybersecurity has never been more important. In an increasingly complex world, technology alone is not enough to combat increasing threats,” said Naim Yazbeck, General Manager of Microsoft UAE.
“It also requires partnerships, both with governments and industries as well as between governments,” Yazbeck added.
The conference will feature discussions and keynote speeches on various topics such as the business of cybercrime as well as the future of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity, along with networking opportunities for participants to connect and collaborate.
Notable speakers at the event include Mohammed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the Government of the UAE; Michal Braverman-Blumenstyk, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft Corporation; Dr. Tomer Simon Chief Scientist at Microsoft Israel R&D Centre; and Paula Januszkiewicz, Founder and CEO of CQURE, Cybersecurity Expert, Microsoft MVP and Regional Director.
The event also aligns with the UAE Digital Economy Strategy, which seeks to double the contribution of the digital economy to the UAE’s non-oil GDP from 11.7 percent to over 20 percent within the next 10 years. The strategy aims to embed digital aspects into overall government strategies, ensuring that the UAE Government is digital by design and that all capacities, structures and opportunities are integrated on a national level and aligned with the UAE’s strategic digital government vision.
The accelerating pace of digital transformation across the region has meant that organizations are also facing a growing volume of more sophisticated cyberattacks.
“Today’s defenders are overwhelmed by the number of cyberattacks and sophistication of attackers. From simple phishing attempts to sophisticated cyber-espionage operations that compromise sensitive data and critical infrastructure, the threat landscape has grown in scale and sophistication over the last few years alone,” said Michal Braverman-Blumenstyk, who is Corporate Vice President at Microsoft Corporation, CTO of the Microsoft Security Division and General Manager of Microsoft’s Israel R&D Centre.
“Defenders need new tools to help them move at machine speed. The rapid pace of innovation including digitization of infrastructure and AI will help shift the balance of power to defenders by empowering them with greater visibility and speed,” Braverman-Blumenstyk added.
