Abu Dhabi — The ISACA Abu Dhabi Infosec & Cybersecurity Congress 2025, hosted in partnership with Tahawultech.com, convened industry leaders, experts, and security professionals to address the urgent challenges shaping the future of cybersecurity. With an agenda centred on trust, resilience, and the evolving impact of AI, the event offered practical insights and strategic direction to navigate today’s digital threat landscape.
Opening with a call for trust and resilience
The day commenced with a welcome address by Sandhya D’Mello, Editor, CPI Media Group, who underscored the pivotal role of trust and innovation in securing digital futures. She also extended gratitude to Gold Sponsor Delinea and Silver Sponsor Teksalah for supporting the congress. This was followed by opening remarks from Dr. Alok Tuteja, Ex-President of ISACA UAE Chapter, who set the tone for the day’s discussions, highlighting the rapid technological shifts redefining governance and risk in cybersecurity.
Navigating trust in the intelligent age
The first panel, “Navigating the Trust Deficit in the Intelligent Age”, explored how organisations can balance innovation and governance as AI and automation reshape industries. Moderated by Sandhya D’Mello, the session featured: Kapil Matta, Regional Head, DigitalXForce; Bader Al Zyouud, Head of Section – Information and Security, Governance and Risk Management, Abu Dhabi Media (ADM); and Bharat Raigangar, Global Head – AI Cyber Security and Risk Management, Maseera Holding. The discussion emphasised that digital security extends beyond technology—encompassing confidence, resilience, and adaptability in a fast-evolving landscape.
Following the panel, a special sponsor message from Delinea showcased how privileged access management is transforming security practices worldwide. A fireside chat with Vijay Balakrishnan, Sales Engineer at Delinea, provided deeper insights into practical strategies for enhancing security and digital trust.
AI’s double edge: security paradoxes
The second panel discussion, “AI’s Double Edge in the Perfect Storm”, examined how artificial intelligence accelerates innovation while simultaneously introducing new vulnerabilities. Speakers included: Dr. Alok Tuteja, Head of Governance, Esyasoft Holdings; Amar Prakash, Audit Manager, Al Tayer Group; and Zaheer Mubarak Shaikh, Chief Information Security Officer, MBANK. The session highlighted the paradoxes of AI—trust vs. risk, and opportunity vs. threat—emphasising the need for balance and foresight in deployment strategies.
Building resilience amid uncertainty
The third panel, “Building Resilience – Strategy, Culture and Digital Trust in the Age of Uncertainty”, moderated by Kapil Matta, featured: Vishnu Padmakumar, Head of Digital Security Section, GPSSAAE; Ali Ismail Awad, Associate Professor of Cybersecurity, UAE University; and Ali Othman, Cybersecurity Country Head – HSBC Bank Middle East Limited. The conversation reinforced resilience as a core organisational capability, rooted not only in robust technology but also in adaptive strategy and culture.
Recognising cybersecurity leadership
The congress also celebrated excellence through the CISO Infosec and Cyber Risk Leadership Awards 2025, recognising individuals and organisations driving impactful change in the cybersecurity ecosystem. Among the awardees were:
- Manish Agarwal, MH Enterprises LLC
- Ali Chehade, CFI Global
- Bharat Jethanand Raigangar, Maseera Holding
- Mohamed Riyasudeen, Al Ain Ahlia Insurance Company
- Talal Albalas, Ministry of Culture, UAE
- Bipin Mehta, HSBC Bank Middle East Limited
- Vishnu Padmakumar, GPSSAAE
- Hani Abdel Karim Bani Amer, Al Etihad Payments
- Amar Prakash, Al Tayer Group
- Ali Ismail Awad, UAE University
Presenters included representatives from Delinea, Teksalah, CPI Media Group, and ISACA Abu Dhabi Chapter.
Closing on collaboration and community
The event concluded with lunch and networking, offering attendees the opportunity to continue conversations and explore collaborations. Sandhya D’Mello, closing the sessions, remarked: “Today’s congress has shown us that building digital trust requires not just strong technology, but collective resilience, cultural readiness, and shared responsibility. We look forward to continuing this dialogue in future editions.”
