Speakers

Philip Intallura, Group Head of Quantum Technologies, HSBC
Philip is the Group Head of Quantum Technologies at HSBC. Part of the Emerging Technologies team, Phil is supporting the bank leverage new and emerging technologies to serve customers better, develop competitive advantage and enhance cyber resilience. Phil has a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Cambridge, and showed the world’s first demonstration of telecom... fibre-based quantum key distribution using single photons from a quantum dot.
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Hussein Bahgat, Group CISO, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
Hussein has managed Information security in Multinational and regional financial organisations where he has assisted to develop Information security improvement programs around information security standards such as PCI-DSS, ISO27001, NIST, SWIFT, NESA IA and COBIT. Hussein is a member of various financial industry collaboration groups, Cyber Security committees and... associations around the region that are focused on cyber security intelligence, regulatory development that contributed to the Cyber security maturity of the banking sector in UAE and the region.
A passionate cybercrime fighter who believes in fighting cybercrime through transparency and collaboration within the banking industry and the Chairman of the Information Security Advisory committee of the UBF.more

Manit Sahib, Ethical Hacker & Former Head of Penetration Testing & Red Teaming, Bank of England
Manit is an experienced offensive security expert who is certified by UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) as well as His Majesty’s CESG Check scheme (HMG CHECK). He has over ten years professional experience in both UK Government and private offensive security operations. Formerly, Manit was the Head of Penetration Testing & Red Teaming at the... Bank of England. He is contracted to Global Fund.more

Rajesh Yadla, Head of Information Security, Leading Digital Bank
Rajesh has almost 15 years of experience in information security and technology risk management. He heads the information security function at Al Hilal bank and is responsible for protecting information assets in on-premises and cloud from external and internal threats. Before joining Al Hilal, he worked in Group42 to establish the information security function... in the organisation. Prior to this, he worked as Head of International Information Security at First Abu Dhabi Bank and was responsible for managing information security for FAB’s 12 international branches. He holds a dual EMBA degree from the University of California Los Angeles & the National University of Singapore, and carries several industry-recognised certifications on cyber and information security like CISSP, CISA, ISO27001(LA) and CDPSE. Outside work, he enjoys travel, playing cricket and chess. "Cyber Security is like the brakes in the car. It slows you down, but it also makes it possible for you to go lot faster" – Dr. Gary Hinson more

Olivier Busolini, Group CISO, Mashreq Bank
Olivier Busolini has over 25 years of experience in IT security, working in different industries and countries, both in the private and public sectors, in France, the UK, Switzerland and the UAE. He has gained leadership skills in IT and Information Security risk, (cyber)security, privacy and resilience management, as part of operational risks, data governance and... digital business activities, and has adapted to various business environments. Olivier began his career as an Officer in the French Ministry of Defence for 15 years, where he founded the first Red Team of the French National Information Security Agency in 2001. He then worked as an information security consultant for several years, including in a Big4 firm, and served as CISO for traditional and innovative Swiss banks for over 13 years. He is currently continuing his journey in the United Arab Emirates as Group CISO for Mashreq Bank. His main focus is to enable the business to take the necessary risks to grow the bank, within the risk tolerance of the management and in a cost effective manner.
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Bader Zyoud, Head of Information Security Governance and Risk Management, Abu Dhabi Media (ADM)
Bader Zyoud is a forward-thinking information security manager and researcher at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence with robust cybersecurity strategies. As Head of Information Security Governance and Risk Management, he leverages over 14 years of hands-on experience in areas like threat intelligence, SOC management, and incident management automation... to build resilient digital landscapes. His extensive publications and cross-industry experience (spanning government, finance, and more) demonstrate a unique ability to anticipate and mitigate evolving threats, driving security transformation, and delivering measurable improvements in efficiency and security posture.more

Ben Kite, Defence, Security and Cyber Adviser, Kearney
Ben Kite was commissioned into the British Army’s Intelligence Corps in 1990, retiring in April 2022 as a Major General in April 2022. During his thirty-two year career he conducted intelligence and Security operations both in the UK as well on deployments to Germany, Belize, Bosnia, Kosovo, South Africa, Iraq and Afghanistan. He also worked on Defensive Cyber issues,... most noticeably as an embedded officer within US Cyber Command from 2014-16 where he drafted strategies dealing with cyber training and the defence of US critical national infrastructure. Ben is currently working as a Defence, Security and Cyber adviser for the strategic consultancy firm Kearney which is based in Abu Dhabi. He studies military history in his spare time and has published three books on the Second World War, as well as being elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.more

Vijay Antony Velayutham, Principal Information Security Officer, UAE Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure
A strategic cybersecurity executive with 25 years of technology experience including 18 years of specialised expertise in cybersecurity, governance, risk management and compliance. Currently serving as the Principal Information Security Officer for the UAE Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, with a proven track record of establishing comprehensive security programs,... securing digital transformation initiatives, and building cyber resilience across Fortune 100 enterprises and government departments. Demonstrates exceptional ability to align cybersecurity strategy with business objectives, lead cross-functional security teams, and influence C-suite stakeholders to champion enterprise-wide security transformation. A distinguished member of the cyber security leadership community and featured in dozens of engagements including keynote speeches, expert panel discussions and advisory boards.more