Speakers- 5th CISO 360 Middle East Conference – Dubai 2024

Anoop brought in his information security Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) Management experience to help GN Media to ensure Project Management and Operational Risk Management, cost reduction and improve People, Process and Technology performances. Over 20 years Information Technology (IT) GRC management experience enabling business-based decisions regarding Project Management, Defining Information Security Governance Risk and Compliance Strategies including Cyber Security Framework, curbing technology vulnerabilities & risk through effective risk & vulnerability management programs, vendor management & organizational leadership. Passionate, persuasive, articulated and communicated effectively with Technology & Business stakeholders to protect against reputational and/or financial implications. Anoop’s experience derived from System Security Design, Administration and Integration in Manufacturing, Printing, Media Production, and Digital Media development and publishing with strong project management background.

Bharat is a highly accomplished Cybersecurist & Fraud Management  leader with over 28 years of experience, having held leadership roles in multinational ventures in the Technology and BFSI sectors.

As a strategic advisor and CxO, he has deep expertise in deploying business cybersecurity, risk, fraud and compliance frameworks.

Bharat has a proven track record of managing large-scale missions to monitor threats, incidents, and responses on digital frameworks. He has developed technical, management, and administrative solutions to mitigate risks and ensure business continuity. He is also an expert in governance, audit, and assurance, having designed, implemented, and monitored control frameworks to ensure compliance with various regulations.

In addition to his professional expertise, Bharat has led procurement, vendor and contract management, M&A, and third-party assurance services. He is also an SME in fraud management ESG Compliance and business resilience management as well have associated with developing the Start-up echo system and M&A

Bharat holds several industry certifications, including CRISC, CGEIT, CFE, CISM, CISA, CICA, CFAP, CIA, COBIT, ITIL, and ISO 2×000, and is a BCM Practitioner.

In his spare time, Bharat enjoys listening to retro tunes and classic melodies, plays cricket & golf and embraces the one-with-nature mindset.

Currently serving as Group CIO of Petrofac (FTSE 250) and In this remit, i am leading the Digital transformation of the Company, building best in class Cyber capabilities and develop Digital products to deliver better business outcomes for Customers . I am also driving the Cloud transformation program in the Company where we are upgrading our technology landscape (1000+ Applications) and also implementing ERP Fusion Cloud. I am leading a Global team of 500 IT professionals to support a global work force of 12000 employees based across US to Asia Pacific.

Before joining Petrofac, i spent 13 years with General Electric (GE) where I had an accelerated and diverse career with experience in multiple international executive leadership roles in Cybersecurity, Digital transformation and Technology space. My most recent role at GE was heading Cybersecurity practice for GE International regions ($60B revenue) as a CISO with a team of 100 employees.

George is a graduate of GE IT leadership program (ITLP), GE Six Sigma Black Belt program and graduate of GE Corporate Audit Staff (CAS), a fast track Executive leadership program of GE

George is an International speaker on multiple Cyber Security conferences including IBM Think 2020, Microsoft Ignite 2019, RSA 2022.

George is also Board of Advisor for IBM Security, Continuity Software and Seed Group.

Irene is responsible for the execution of the ADSIC Information Security Programme, Security Governance, Risk and compliance to IT Security Policy. She offers 27 years of combined and diverse experience in IT (Security, Operations and Strategy), Quality & Excellence. She has worked in various industries and region and led strategic initiatives in Asia, Middle East, Europe and America. An emerging seasoned speaker on Information and Cyber Security Conferences, Irene has spoken in a number of conferences in Asia, Middle East and Europe.  Irene acquired her Masters of Science in IT from University of Wales, and holds the following certifications: ITIL V3, PMP, ISO (QMS and 27k) Lead Auditor and EFQM Assessor. Irene is Co-Founder of Women in Cyber Security Middle East, which promotes and increases women’s participation in the field of cyber security. www.womenincybersecurity.me

CIO  head of IT at  EAL bank  joined 2016 till now, Deputy –GM  for E-channel at National bank of Egypt from 2008 till 2016
Manager E-channel at Arab bank from 1994 till 2008
Plus other working experiences in IDSC cabinet of minsters  , Mantrac
I am PMP certified  , MCSD certified
Hold master’s degree from Nottingham university in IT
Hold post graduate diploma in IT
And Engineering degree from AIN shams university

Kais Barakat is a senior information security specialist and business process excellence engineer with a successful track record of over 25 years in diversified areas within IT and Information Security. In the last few years Kais played a major role in transforming the Information protection program and GRC functions within Saudi Aramco. Kais is PMP, CISM, ISO 27001, CRISC, COBIT 5.

A well-versed, adept communicator, with more than 20 years in the Cybersecurity field, Lorna has an MSc, and is CISSP certified. She is currently working in Gartner as a CISO Advisor and Partner. She is a known speaker in security events in the region with several published blogs and articles. She also runs security awareness sessions to Boards of Directors, non-security Executives, VPs and GMs in organizations.  Lorna got her B.Sc. in Communications and Electronics Engineering from Ain Shams University, Cairo-Egypt; Computer Networks Diploma from Information Technology Institute (ITI), Cairo – Egypt; M.Sc. in Information Technology and Security from University of Nottingham, Nottingham-UK. Lorna’s journey into security started with her joining Internet Security Systems (ISS) in 2003 after almost two years extensive experience in the network arena. She was responsible for all technical related activities in the region. She moved on to the more specialized security industries of Telco and Financial Institutes and was responsible for six countries.  After the IBM acquisition of Internet Security Systems in 2007, she smoothly transitioned into the IBM security environment as a Senior Information Security Specialist for IBM Security Services.  Since then, she worked on large and small projects alike with the same dedication and Customer-Satisfaction goal. She got to be known with her extensive knowledge of security products, professional services and managed security services. Her experience in the Gulf and Levant region became unparalleled when it came to information security consultancy. Lorna joined Gartner in 2019 and currently holds the role of CISO Advisor and Partner. She has worked with more than 45 Cybersecurity Leaders/CISOs in the region, across different industries, to help them achieve their security goals and overcome challenges.

With over 25 years of experience in the IT realm, Nikk has navigated the evolving landscape of the digital world, tackling both opportunities and challenges. His career has spanned diverse sectors, including finance, manufacturing, oil and energy, and government, where he has led global security teams and initiatives to protect and ensure the integrity of information resources and assets.

Currently serving as the Chief Information Security Officer at RWE, Nikk is dedicated to the mission of achieving a climate-neutral future by 2040, leveraging innovations in renewables and hydrogen. His work is driven by a passion for connecting with customers and stakeholders, understanding their needs, and delivering solutions that create meaningful value and impact.

As a Distinguished Fellow at the Ponemon Institute, a leading research organization on privacy, data protection, and information security policy, Nikk has been honoured for his contributions to the field. Awards such as the CISO of the Year Final Four Finalist, the CIO Europe Summit Achievement of the Year Winner, and the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal from the US Navy reflect his commitment to excellence.

In addition to his professional achievements, Nikk has shared his insights through publications, speaking engagements, and media appearances. A lifelong learner and global citizen, he is fluent in English, conversational in German, and has a keen interest in ancient Egyptian, enough to read temple inscriptions. His journey has been enriched by experiences across various global locales, and he continues to explore new frontiers in both technology and personal growth.

Lady Olga Maitland, Founder, Defense and Security Forum and Chairman, Copenhagen Compliance – has wide experience in all major Governance, risk Management and Compliance issues in general and global Fraud and Corruption problems in particular. She is a special adviser to a number of dignitaries and a widely sought after speaker at all Major Conferences on several Corporate Governance issues. Lady Olga is a former British MP for the Conservative party. Prior to her political career she was a reporter for the Fleet Street News Agency, a columnist in the London.

With 28 years’ experience in the Cybersecurity space, Peter is a seasoned global practitioner and technology pioneer, having created numerous offerings in this space. His background spans from operational security response management, systems engineering, and complex technical vendor integrations — to strategic alliances throughout the security and risk markets. His areas of expertise are in Public Key Cryptography (PKI), Secure Communications, Endpoint Protection and Threat & Risk management. He has developed and brought dozens of security products to market internationally and is on a constant journey, assisting partners and clients as the Cybersecurity market continues to meet the challenges of the day.

Robert is the Interim Head of Information & Technology Security Strategy at DS Smith PLC. He also holds a number of board positions including Chair of Crossword Consulting Ltd Board, Non-Executive Director of Crossword Cybersecurity PLC, Chair of the Board at Think Cyber Ltd and advisor to the Government of Singapore Ministry of Health. He is also a Governor/Trustee and Audit Committee Member of the University of Brighton.  Robert has over 35 years of audit, risk and security experience and has held a number of senior leadership positions, including CISO for the NHS and health & care system, GSK, National Grid, and Merrill Lynch and Head of InfoSec at Royal Bank of Scotland, and he was a partner at KPMG.
Robert is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Assurance Research and Engineering at George Mason University, Washington DC. He is also an Honorary Professor at UCL. He was awarded a PhD in psychology by the University of Leeds for his work on the perceptions of information and IT risk and has published and presented on this and other topics. He continues to undertake research in these areas. He was also awarded an MBA from Manchester Business School.

Dr Leivesley chairs regular international scientific meetings on themes of catastrophic risk covering nuclear; novel coronavirus; resilience of CNI including cyber; and resilience from hazardous near earth objects. The focus of work is generic solutions to catastrophic risks across all disciplines and practical applications to government policy and business resilience. She is an Advisor to companies and governments on protection of people and infrastructure and strategies for security and business. Worked across industry sectors gas and petrochemicals; power distribution; hazardous goods transportation by rail; underground and aboveground rail; underground mines; bulk shipping and banks. As an  International media commentator after 9/11 she has provided services for the BBC World Service and other news outlets on extreme threats – cyber; terrorism;  emerging conflicts – Kabul 2021 evacuation; South China Sea;; aviation losses; nuclear reactor explosions; Polonium-210 and Novichok poisonings, Beslan siege; Iran; DPRK; USA Presidential security abroad; Covid-19, unexplained incidents such as MH370 and chemical incidents. She has contributed to journals and books on major incidents including death and injury in disasters and expedient housing post disaster.  Director of two disaster recovery units in Australia (weather and chemical incidents) in support of community recovery. Trained by British Home Office as Scientific Advisor, CBRN, and Cold War appointment as SA on all aspects of nuclear war.  PhD London University –disasters and catastrophic risk, awarded in field of Economics; Member of the Register of Security Engineers and Specialists RSES; International Association of Bomb Technicians  and Investigator; Royal United Services Institute, and Information Assurance Advisory Council Community. Panel adviser to the first British IET and CPNI supported publication for Cyber Security in the Built Environment.

More than two decades of professional experience in information management and governance, with particular focus on information security, risk management and assurance for large multilateral public sector organizations with global presence. Actively contributing to inter-organizational working groups for establishing policies, standards, and guidelines in the area of information security, personal data protection, awareness programs, risk analysis and metrics. Conducting research in cryptography, data protection regulation, and risk management. I’ve started professional career in information technology in the year of the release of Mosaic Web browser, Intel Pentium CPU, Microsoft Windows NT, Debian Linux, Doom computer game… Since the Internet bubble, teaching computer science and telecommunications courses as adjunct faculty at Computer Science Department of Webster University in Geneva. Actively contributing to academic program advancement as a member of the Scientific Committee for Advanced Studies in Information Security at the Department of Management Studies of the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences at the University of Geneva. Advocating advancement in information security as an author in journals and as a speaker at professional conferences.