Digital transformation sweeping across the Middle East is reshaping how organisations protect and govern data. Tahawultech.com spoke to Justin Endres, Chief Revenue Officer, Seclore and Uraz Farukh, Vice President Sales – MENA, Seclore at Gitex Global 2025 at GITEX Global 2025.
The Seclore leaders discussed with Sandhya D’Mello, Technology Editor, CPI Media Group, how enterprises are tackling evolving challenges — from managing unstructured data and AI-driven threats to building resilience and maintaining customer trust. The global brand’s growing channel ecosystem continues to empower partners and businesses to advance towards a more secure and compliant digital economy.
You’ve been around the region and witnessed how fast the market is evolving. What are your impressions of the first day at GITEX Global?
The general sentiment is much like always — it’s a great opportunity to meet partners and customers, as well as potential new ones. It’s also a fantastic occasion to catch up with other vendors we collaborate with in the field. Overall, GITEX remains an invaluable event that we always look forward to.
What is the company showcasing at GITEX this year?
Unlike last year, when we presented a full suite of products on our platform, this year’s focus is on discovery and AI. We’re really aligning with market demand, particularly in helping organisations understand where their sensitive data resides — be it in the cloud, on desktops, or elsewhere. We’re introducing a stronger discovery-to-remediation solution that offers end-to-end visibility and protection. Beyond that, GITEX is also about reconnecting with our ecosystem and partners.
With just a couple of months left in 2025, how do you evaluate the year’s performance compared to 2024, and what does the 2026 pipeline look like?
We’ve had the privilege of working with a fantastic network of partners, and our pipeline is stronger than ever. The first half of the year was excellent, and as we close the third quarter, the outlook remains very positive. That said, we continue to earn customer trust every single day — it’s the foundation of our growth.
What are the top customer trends or challenges you’re seeing, and how are you addressing them?
It varies by country. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar are all at different stages of maturity, but the central issue everywhere is data protection. The old perimeter-based approach no longer works. Despite higher spending, breaches and costs are still rising. AI has also introduced an explosion of unstructured data, making sensitive data protection more complex than ever. Having been in this space for nearly 15 years, we understand these challenges well and are helping organisations locate and secure their most critical data.
Is cyber resilience now the key to business success?
Absolutely. Cyber resilience underpins everything — not just technology but also trust. Whether you’re a consumer brand, a service provider, or a partner, resilience ensures continuity and confidence. Technology must evolve to stay ahead of adversaries, but when it doesn’t, businesses must still have mechanisms to fall back on and recover quickly.
With Saudi Arabia emerging as a key regional force and Cybersecurity Awareness Month coinciding with GITEX, how do you see this momentum influencing the market?
The region is at a fascinating stage. In Saudi Arabia, regulations are strict and compliance-driven, while the UAE is quickly catching up. GITEX is the perfect platform for customers to discover new technologies and understand how to adopt them. Events like this encourage awareness, learning, and innovation — all vital for improving regional cyber maturity.
Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia are advancing rapidly toward digital-first economies. What are your observations on how customers are responding to the growing need for proactive cyber resilience?
Every new technology — whether AI or GPT — brings both opportunities and challenges. AI, in particular, is reshaping business operations but also introducing new pain points. Unlike blockchain, which lost momentum, AI is here to stay. The focus now is on integrating AI responsibly into cybersecurity tools to address emerging threats. That’s where we and other vendors are investing heavily.
How are you empowering your channel ecosystem to keep pace with evolving AI and cybersecurity demands?
We’re a channel-focused company with a very strong partner ecosystem. We have structured partner programmes, regular communication via newsletters and WhatsApp updates, and ongoing enablement initiatives. Our partners act as an extension of us in the market — taking our message and solutions to customers. This close collaboration is key to ensuring consistent delivery and satisfaction.
What will be your key focus for 2026?
We’re prioritising the strengthening of our channel ecosystem. The region is seeing new partners entering from Egypt and beyond, particularly into Saudi Arabia’s growing cybersecurity space. Our aim is to ensure customer satisfaction through improved post-sales support. Justin and the customer success team are expanding efforts to make sure clients are fully supported and getting maximum value from our technology.
Image Credit: Seclore
