Event Details

The United Arab Emirates and its Gulf neighbours are targets for cyber-attacks by threat actors with financial and political motivations.


So join us for the EICN's latest event: Cybersecurity - keeping your guard up, to learn how to safeguard corporate, public and private data, and to increase your awareness of emerging cyber threats.


Although the UAE was recently ranked in the top category (Pioneering Model) of the International Telecommunication Union's 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index, indicating the highest level of commitment to cybersecurity, complacency around digital security would be negligent in the extreme.


Cyber-criminals have in their sights large corporates and government entities - organisations with deep pockets and / or valuable data - as well as educational institutions. SMEs are also vulnerable, due to the perception that they are likely to have fewer resources and less robust technical infrastructure in place to protect themselves from malicious threats.


Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) are at the forefront of organisations' attempts to adapt to new cybersecurity changes forced upon them by a "new normal" characterised by remote working and increased automation. Businesses are embracing enhanced digital solutions and training regimes to adapt and secure their IT environments.


We are particularly honoured to be joined by a panel of regional cybersecurity experts and knowledgeable senior business leaders to discuss this high-priority topic and its implications.

Please note that this event is limited to senior-level executives and per invitation only. If you are not an existing member of The Economist Intelligence Corporate Network, but would like to learn how you can attend our events, please contact us.

Agenda

12:00 - 12:30
Arrival, registration, networking and lunch
12:30 - 12:35
Welcome Note
12:35 - 13:20
Panel Discussion with Cybersecurity Experts
13:20 - 13:50
Keynote Fireside Conversation with a UAE Government Official
13:50 - 14:00
Thanks and closing remarks
14:00 - 14:10
End, coffee and networking

Speakers

  • Olivier Busolini (Group Chief Information Security Officer at Mashreq)

    Olivier Busolini

    Group Chief Information Security Officer at Mashreq

    Olivier Busolini is a cybersecurity leader with over 30 years of professional experience, including 25 years in information security management. He specializes in driving IT and security risk strategies that align with organizational objectives, enabling innovation and transformation while maintaining a well-defined risk appetite. Olivier integrates cybersecurity into the broader enterprise risk management framework, empowering senior leadership to pursue business and IT innovation with confidence, ensuring that risks are managed with precision and resilience is continually reinforced.

    In his role, Olivier leads cybersecurity crisis management, acting as a critical bridge between technical teams and senior leadership, including Board members and executive committees. He delivers clear, strategic updates that enable informed decision-making during high-pressure situations, guiding organizations through crisis containment, recovery, and long-term resilience-building. His approach positions cybersecurity as a core component of business continuity and growth strategies.

    Olivier has successfully led high-performing teams across multicultural, multinational, and multi-domain environments. His international experience allows him to navigate complex regulatory landscapes, aligning global security practices with local business needs while driving operational excellence and continuous improvement.

    As a mentor and coach, Olivier is committed to developing future leaders. He guides individuals to optimize their performance and steer their career growth, fostering sustainable success in dynamic environments.

    With a growing focus on non-executive director roles, Olivier brings a blend of strategic insight, Board-level engagement, and operational leadership in cybersecurity. He is well-positioned to contribute to governance and oversight functions, ensuring that cybersecurity and risk management are deeply embedded in organizational decision-making at the highest levels.

    Olivier is married and the father two sons. He has been practicing martial arts and combat systems for 25 years, as well as yoga and meditation. He loves kitesurfing and snowboarding, and is passionate about electronic music.

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  • Hussain Al Khalsan (Chief Information Security Officer at Zand)

    Hussain Al Khalsan

    Chief Information Security Officer at Zand

    Hussain Al Khalsan joined Zand as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) in June 2019. In his role, he oversees and manages the Cyber Security Programme of Zand. He is a seasoned professional with 18 years of experience in IT Security, Information Security and Cyber Security purely in the banking and financial services industry.

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  • Haider Pasha (Chief Security Officer EMEA & LATAM at Palo Alto Networks)

    Haider Pasha

    Chief Security Officer EMEA & LATAM at Palo Alto Networks

    Since 2018, Mr. Haider Pasha has been the Chief Security Officer (CSO) for EMEA & LATAM at Palo Alto Networks. Prior to this role, Mr. Pasha spent 5 years at Symantec working as CTO and Systems Engineering Director for Emerging Markets. He has been partnering with CxOs across the industry, executing together on a multi-year architecture strategy across the geography including Cloud Transformations, Autonomous SOC, and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE). He is a trusted advisor to Palo Alto’s strategic customers and partners, helping them become more competitive and innovative while enhancing their Cyber Resilience Strategy. A key area of specialty for Mr. Pasha is around architecting AI-Enabled Security Operations Centers (SOC), designing Threat Intelligence Platforms, and helping customers adhere to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and local government regulations. Prior to joining Symantec, Mr. Pasha spent 15 years at Cisco covering various senior positions in Silicon Valley and as CTO for Cisco Africa.

    Mr. Pasha completed his MBA from Manchester Business School, UK and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Purdue University, USA. Mr. Pasha’s successes come from being able to bind advanced technical concepts to commercial, people and process requirements, while maintaining a balanced perspective with the business objective in mind. He is also Palo Alto Networks go-to public spokesperson.

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