Bigger And Better, Black Hat MEA Announces New Venue And Reveals Cybersec Experts Confirmed To Attend Riyadh Summit

Black Hat Middle East & Africa (MEA), one of the world’s leading cybersecurity conference and exhibitions, has already locked in some of the biggest names in information security to speak at this November’s Executive Summit, which is already 80 per cent sold out.

From Silicon Valley to São Paulo, top innovators, investors, and ethical hackers have been confirmed for this year’s event, which will run from November 26-28 at the Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Centre in Malham. Discussing the global evolution of cybersecurity and its latest developments – such as quantum computing & cryptography, supply chain security, remote workforce security and threat detection responses – the annual Executive Summit will see more than 100 Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and other executives in attendance. Many of these senior IT leaders are in charge of security for some of the largest organisations in the world and will use Black Hat MEA 2024 to share their insights and experiences.

The initial line-up includes:

• Gary Hayslip, Chief Information Security Officer, SoftBank Investment Advisors
• Lori Wade, IC Chief Data Officer, Office of The Director of Intelligence
• Sounil Yu, Founder & Chief Technology Officer, Knostic
• Kevin Jones, Global Chief Information Security Officer, Bayer Group
• Jennifer Ewbank, former Deputy Director, Digital Innovation, Central Intelligence Agency
• Jason Lau, Chief Information Security Officer, Crypto.Com
• Rich Baich, Chief Information Security Officer, AT&T
• Ashish Shrestha, Chief Information Security Officer, Jaguar Land Rover
• Lakshmi Hanspal, Strategic Advisor & Investor, Silicon Valley CISO Investments
• Craig McEwen, Deputy Chief Information Security Officer & Global Head of Cyber Technology & Operations, Unilever

“The cybersecurity goalposts have moved and now, more than ever, keep on moving as our industry faces some of its biggest challenges due to the evolving nature of threats,”said Annabelle Mander, Senior Vice President of Tahaluf -organisers of Black Hat MEA in partnership with the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP). “From AI and machine learning to interconnected technologies and humans, who continue to be one of the biggest threats to organisations, the pace of change is extraordinary.

“At Black Hat MEA 2024, our experts will put all this – and their related risks – into perspective and signpost potential solutions,” added Annabelle. “Tahaluf is building on last year’s event by moving to a larger venue to accommodate the increased demand from exhibitors and visitors, keen to hear from and connect with some of the leading names from the cybersecurity sector industry across three days. KSA is becoming a hub for cybersecurity excellence and therefore we look forward to welcoming some of the world’s biggest names in this sector to Black Hat MEA in November”

One of those leading names, Unilever’s Deputy CISO & Global Head of Cyber Technology & Operations – Craig McEwen, explained:

“As the world, organisations and manufacturing continues to automate and digitise in every conceivable area, the increase in cyber threat shows no sign of easing.  Coupled with the rapid steps being made in artificial intelligence and an increasing amount of zero-days, the threat landscape has never looked more hostile.

“As cyber defenders, our true strength is in collaboration and rapid sharing of information and ideas to counter this increasingly hostile environment in which we operate. Black Hat MEA offers a true opportunity to collaborate and discuss the pressing issues we face as cyber defenders and helps create a collective security posture against cyber threat actors.”

Also commenting on Black Hat MEA, Jason Lau, CISO of Crypto.com, added:

“As a member of the Black Hat MEA Advisory Board, I recognise the immense value this event in Riyadh brings to our global cybersecurity community. BlackHat MEA stands as a pivotal nexus where experts from diverse backgrounds converge to share knowledge, innovate, and develop strategies to tackle the ever-evolving threats facing our digital world. This platform fosters unparalleled collaboration, elevating our collective understanding and empowering us to advance critical areas like Digital Trust and the application of AI in cybersecurity.”

The Exhibition

Black Hat MEA is also lining up an exhibition of regional and global cybersecurity leaders and innovators, including some of the sector’s biggest names. The line-up already includes Kaspersky – which successfully blocked 30 million cyber threats in the UAE last year – Fortinet, Opentext, Builder AI, Help AG, Infoblox, Netwitness, Palo Alto Networks, Recorded Future, and Trend Micro.

Black Hat MEA 2024 will be packed with all the interactive features that have seen the event now rank amongst the world’s biggest cybersecurity exhibitions. These include industry briefings and training sessions, the Cyberseed start-up competition, an investor programme, and the Black Hat MEA Arsenal, in which developers showcase the latest open-source tools and products.  In partnership with ToolsWatch, the Black Hat MEA Arsenal will also see presenters interacting with attendees for firsthand experiences. In addition, information security experts will share new industry tricks and trends, and hackers will expose the latest breach techniques. The event will also encompass the Black Hat Campus, which is an area for entry level professionals to attend talks and meet industry experts to understand how they can grow their career in cybersecurity.

The exhibition’s Activity Zone will also host a jeopardy-style Capture The Flag tournament, with over 1000 participants competing in a series of challenges across various competency levels. In addition, the Cyberseed Start-up Competition will host pitches from startup teams, who will compete for a share of the Cyberseed Prize Fund. The competition will have multiple mentoring sessions where finalists will get to present their ideas to an esteemed set of judges.

Explaining Trend Micro’s participation at the Black Hat MEA 2024, Dr. Moataz Bin Ali, Regional Vice President and Managing Director, Mediterranean, Middle East, Eurasia & Africa at Trend Micro, added:

“At Trend Micro, we are honoured to participate in an event that embodies technological advancement and excellence. Events like Black Hat MEA are steppingstones to realising Saudi Vision 2030, fostering technological growth and cybersecurity resilience. We look forward to unveiling our latest innovations and engaging in dialogues that will shape the future of cybersecurity.”