Speakers

H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al-Kuwaiti is the Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government and President of the UAE Cyber Security Council, leading national efforts to safeguard digital infrastructure and promote global cyber resilience.

H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al-Kuwaiti was appointed by the UAE Cabinet in 2020 as the Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government, a role that grants him legal authority over all aspects of national cyberspace security. He also serves as President of the UAE Cyber Security Council and Managing Director of the National Data Center under the Supreme Council for National Security.

Dr. Al-Kuwaiti’s mandate includes:
• Developing and executing the UAE’s national cybersecurity strategy
• Overseeing digital transformation and smart government initiatives
• Enhancing data privacy, governance, and interconnectivity across federal systems
• Leading international collaborations on cyber policy and threat intelligence

He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Homeland Security at Rabdan Academy, and has been elected Vice Chair of the ITU Study Group 17 Regional Group for the Arab Region, reflecting his influence in shaping global cybersecurity standards.

Under his leadership, the UAE has risen to 5th globally in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index, marking a significant leap in national cyber readiness.

Dr. Najwa Aaraj is the CEO of the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), where she leads cutting-edge research across fields such as quantum computing, AI, autonomous robotics, and cybersecurity. Prior to her appointment as CEO in 2024, she served as Chief Researcher at both the Cryptography Research Center and the Autonomous Robotics Research Center at TII.

She holds a Ph.D. in Applied Cryptography and Embedded Systems Security from Princeton University, awarded with Highest Distinction. Her expertise spans trusted platforms, security architecture for embedded systems, biometrics, and software exploit prevention. Dr. Aaraj has also held roles at IBM, Intel, and DarkMatter, and led global tech strategy projects as a consultant with Booz & Company.

Under her leadership, TII continues to drive transformative technology outcomes for the UAE and beyond.

Prof. John Martinis is a distinguished physicist and quantum computing expert at Qolab, where he focuses on building scalable quantum systems. He previously led the hardware team at Google Quantum AI, achieving the landmark quantum supremacy experiment in 2019 using the Sycamore processor. His research centers on superconducting qubits, high-fidelity quantum processors, and quantum error correction. Prof. Martinis was awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions to quantum computing and continues to mentor the next generation of quantum engineers.

Dr. Abed Benaichouche is the Co-founder and CEO of Open Innovation AI, a UAE-based sovereign AI platform company driving national-scale innovation in artificial intelligence and GPU orchestration.

Dr. Abed Benaichouche is the Co-founder and CEO of Open Innovation AI, the UAE’s leading sovereign AI platform provider. With a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Mathematics, he has dedicated his career to advancing AI infrastructure and innovation across the Middle East. Under his leadership, Open Innovation AI delivers end-to-end orchestration and generative AI solutions for enterprise and government clients, powering some of the region’s largest AI workloads.

Dr. Benaichouche has forged strategic partnerships with global tech leaders including AMD, Intel, HPE, Vast Data, and Pure Storage, positioning the UAE as a global AI powerhouse. He previously co-founded AIQ, a joint venture with ADNOC, and continues to champion sovereign AI adoption, GPU acceleration, and strategic autonomy in digital transformation.

His work reflects a commitment to building resilient, future-ready AI ecosystems that align with the UAE’s vision for technological leadership by 2031.

Adrien Bécue (PHD) is AI & Cybersecurity Expert at Thales. He has experience in Network Centric Warfare, Tactical Communications, Border Security, Cybersecurity, Industrial Control Systems and Artificial Intelligence with applications in military and civil domains. He has been working for the French Defense Procurement Agency as Program Buyer (2004-2008), for EADS group as project manager (2008-2013), for AIRBUS CYBERSECURITY as Head of Innovation (2013-2022) and for THALES as AI & Cybersecurity Expert (2022-now). His current activities focus on AI for security and security of AI. He is Technical Coordinator of the European defense project AIDA that deals with Artificial Intelligence Deployable Agent for cyber-defense operations.

Akshay Dalal is a risk and compliance leader with a proven track record of enabling global organizations to scale securely across diverse and dynamic markets. With extensive experience spanning multiple industries and geographies, he specializes in building and operationalizing solutions that navigate complex regulatory environments. His work is instrumental in protecting revenue and enabling strategic growth for a multi-billion dollar book of business.

As the Head of Risk and Compliance for Google across the region, Akshay operates at the intersection of regulation, strategy, and innovation. In this role, he is responsible for ensuring safe operations, fostering responsible growth, and building trusted engagement in some of the world’s most rapidly evolving markets.

Akshay holds an MBA from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Delhi. He has also pursued his CFA up to Level II. A passionate community leader, Akshay was the first MBA student to be elected President of St. Catherine’s College MCR at Oxford. He currently.

Amritpal leads the FSRA’s efforts in technology-related regulatory and supervisory activities over regulated entities, including virtual asset intermediaries. Prior to the FSRA, Amritpal was in the Monetary Authority of Singapore contributing to work in enforcement, IT risk supervision, and fintech domains. Amritpal also conducted IT audits for companies across multiple industries and performed system testing during his time in PwC Singapore.

Amit Mishra is a technology and product leader with deep experience in building and scaling AI-driven platforms. He has led product, strategy, and security initiatives across the Middle East and India, including taking Hive Pro from idea to a global Threat Exposure Management platform. Amit currently heads Product & Strategy at Evolvable.ai, where he focuses on agentic AI orchestration, narrative intelligence, and enterprise automation. He also advises multiple startups across cybersecurity, AI, and enterprise SaaS, helping founders with product discovery, product strategy, GTM, and early-stage scaling.

Anis Ahmed is the Founder & CEO of Fidar, a UAE based AI-driven digital identity and fraud-prevention platform designed to make data breaches and stolen credentials irrelevant.

He is a distinguished senior banking professional and renowned anti-fraud expert, widely respected for his leadership in shaping modern fraud-prevention strategies. Anis is also a recognized thought leader and host of the podcast The Fraud Fellas, where he drives global conversations on tackling financial crime. He regularly advises institutions on advanced fraud-risk management strategies, identity security, and emerging cyber-crime trends.

Armando Faz Hernandez is a Research Engineer at Cloudflare, Inc., where his work since 2018 has focused on the Internet-wide deployment of cryptographic solutions and secure communication protocols.

He specializes in the optimization and secure development of critical cryptographic software, with particular expertise in elliptic curve cryptography and post-quantum cryptography. He co-authored CIRCL, Cloudflare’s first Go library dedicated to Post-Quantum Cryptography.

His technical impact extends to standardization, where he has contributed to efforts at the IETF, notably providing technical guidance on the specification of Hashing to Curve functions (RFC-9380) and Verifiable Oblivious Pseudorandom functions (RFC-9497). Currently, his primary focus is on adapting infrastructure for the post-quantum era, ensuring long-term cryptographic agility.

Armando earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Campinas, Brazil. His research has been published in several leading cryptographic conferences. Beyond his technical achievements, he actively promotes the diversity of ideas within his circles and is committed to supporting emerging talented people in the field.

Dr. Axel Y. Poschmann is the Vice President of Product at PQShield, a UK-based cybersecurity firm specializing in post-quantum cryptography. With more than 15 years of international experience across Asia, Europe, the U.S., and the Middle East, Dr. Poschmann is recognized for his deep technical expertise and strategic leadership in cryptographic hardware and secure product development. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and an Executive MBA from INSEAD, and has previously led advanced security labs at NXP Semiconductors and xen1thLabs. His work focuses on transitioning cryptographic systems to quantum-safe standards and driving innovation in secure hardware solution.

Aayat is a seasoned Cyber Security professional with over 9 years of experience delivering advisory services to clients across diverse sectors. Currently working as a Manager, she leads a broad portfolio of projects spanning across cyber security, information security (IS) governance, and IS risk management. Her primary focus lies within the public sector, where she drives key national cyber initiatives and supports strategic engagements for high-impact government and regulatory entities.

Software engineer specializing in quantum-secure communication technologies, backed by experience in robotics and software-defined radio systems.

Mr. Alan Ho is the co-founder and CEO of Qolab. He brings extensive experience from his role as the former Head of Product at Google Quantum AI. At Google, he led the business and product development efforts, contributing to significant advancements in the field of quantum computing. Alan played an integral role in the team that achieved the milestone of quantum supremacy, demonstrating a quantum computer’s capability to outperform classical supercomputers in specific tasks. Before founding Qolab, Alan was a Director of Product at Apigee and held senior roles at other tech companies, enhancing his expertise in product management and development.

Brian LaMacchia is an applied cryptographer. He is the President of Farcaster Consulting Group, LLC, and most recently served as the first Executive Director of the MPC Alliance, a consortium of over 50 companies and academic institutions formed to accelerate awareness, acceptance, and adoption of multi-party computation (MPC) technology. Brian retired from Microsoft Corporation in December 2022 after a 25+-year career with the company where he was Microsoft’s Distinguished Engineer for Cryptography, head of the Security and Cryptography team within Microsoft Research, and co-founder and chair of the Microsoft Cryptography Review Board. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering at Indiana University-Bloomington and an Affiliate Faculty member of the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington. Brian is also currently Treasurer of the International Association for Cryptologic Research (IACR), a member of the National Academies Forum on Cyber Resilience, and a Vice President of the Board of Directors of Seattle Opera. Brian received S.B., S.M., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT in 1990, 1991, and 1996, respectively.

Serving as Associate Director at KPMG, leading cyber strategy and governance services. With more than 15 years of experience, has contributed to the formulation of national cybersecurity strategies, policies, and frameworks, and supported major government organizations in strengthening digital resilience. Passionate about advancing cyber security governance in emerging technologies such as AI and quantum. Actively advocating for diversity, inclusion, and cyber awareness in the community.

Craig is recognised as a strategic thinker, he foresees the impact of broad developments affecting the global cyber eco-system, designing and developing capabilities both in the public and private sector, with the ultimate objective of building communities to protect communities through partnerships.

With over four decades in public service, Craig led INTERPOL Global Cybercrime Programme from 2019 to 2024. Under his leadership it delivered a step-change in the credibility and confidence between the organisations 196 member countries and partners.

His goal was to improve global security through reducing the threat and harm of cybercrime and protecting communities for a safer world by preventing, detecting, investigating and disrupting cybercriminals and their infrastructure.

Under his leadership, INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Directorate achieved significant milestones, expanded its own and member countries capabilities and capacity, extending the influence and impact of INTERPOL in combating cybercrime.

Throughout his time at INTERPOL, he used strategic insights and innovative approaches, managing successful operations, projects and initiatives. This included the development of a regional cybercrime operational desk model, in Africa, Asia, Americas and the Middle East, also the new United Nations International Cybercrime Convention and the World Economic Forum – ‘Partnership Against Cybercrime’.

He strongly promotes Public-Private Partnerships and holds several senior advisory roles in prominent regional and global organisations, where he strives to foster international confidence and trust in the cyber ecosystem.

Prior to joining INTERPOL, Craig held key roles in UK law enforcement, coordinating responses to the National Cyber Security Programme.

Christian Schmitz is the Managing Director at evolutionQ, where he leads strategic initiatives in quantum-safe cybersecurity. With more than 20 years of experience in applied cryptography, Christian has played a pivotal role in developing and deploying secure digital solutions across industries such as finance, healthcare, government, and IoT.

His career includes early work in qualified electronic signatures (QES) and large-scale public key infrastructures (PKI), as well as leadership roles at Utimaco and exceet Secure Solutions GmbH. At evolutionQ, Christian focuses on helping organizations transition to cryptographic resilience in the post-quantum era, guiding clients through compliance, trust, and secure integration of advanced cryptographic frameworks.

Claudia De Lazzari has a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Trento, Department of Excellence, where she enrolled in the Transdisciplinary Program in Quantum Science and Technologies and specialized in quantum applied geometry. She is Quantum Cryptographer in QTI s.r.l. where she engages on the theoretical development of quantum key distribution systems, focusing on algorithms, simulations and security proofs.

Divjot Singh Arora is the Principal Solution Consultant for the Emerging Markets region at Zscaler, where he helps enterprises accelerate their digital transformation journeys through secure cloud adoption and zero-trust architecture. With over 16 years of experience in the IT industry, Divjot has developed deep expertise in networking, cybersecurity, andtelecommunications, working with diverse teams and customers worldwide.
Divjot holds a Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning from the
University of Birmingham (UK) and is a Doctoral Candidate in Cybersecurity (DSc) at
Marymount University (USA). His doctoral research explores the role of blockchain
technology in enhancing security for IoT device management systems, employing a mixed-methods approach that integrates qualitative and quantitative analysis.
Known for his global industry perspective and analytical approach, Divjot bridges technical innovation with business value, advising organizations on secure cloud enablement, threat reduction, and resilience in the evolving digital landscape.

Dr. Emanuele Bellini is a Technical Director at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in Abu Dhabi. He previously served as Lead Cryptographer at DarkMatter and Cryptographer at Telsy S.p.A. (TIM Group). He holds a Ph.D. in Coding Theory and Cryptography from the University of Trento and a Master’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Turin, Italy.

Dr. Bellini is an experienced and versatile cryptographer overseeing the design, analysis, and implementation of cryptographic algorithms and protocols, their integration into products, national cryptographic migration strategies, and research collaborations with leading universities. He manages large technical teams and multi-year research programs.

His expertise extends to the interplay between cryptography, cryptanalysis, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence.

Erol is a Solutions Engineer specializing in data protection and cybersecurity, currently working with Thales to help enterprises secure critical data across cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments. He has decades long expertise in data security posture management, key and secret management, cloud-sovereignty architectures, and secure AI/ML data pipelines. His work focuses on enabling organizations to adopt modern infrastructure without compromising on security, compliance, or performance. Erol frequently collaborates with financial institutions, energy companies, and government entities across the Middle East to design resilient and scalable security frameworks.

Falco Christow is Senior Product Manager at QuantumGate, specializing in encryption, key management, and Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC). He leads the product-market development of next-generation post-quantum cryptographic solutions that secure digital ecosystems for enterprises and governments.

With over 20 years of product management experience in encryption and key management, Falco has driven groundbreaking innovations at Thales, Gemalto, and SafeNet, designing and launching industry-first solutions. He pioneered the world’s first cloud-based marketplace for encryption products and successfully commercialized Encryption-as-a-Service (EaaS).

His collaboration with Google on confidential computing resulted in the rapid launch of Ubiquitous Data Encryption, providing cloud service tenants with enhanced data confidentiality. Falco has played a pivotal role in hardware security modules (HSMs), digital signatures, and financial transaction encryption. As a product leader, he spearheaded the launch of a secure collaboration platform that processes over $5 billion annually for financial and government institutions in Canada.

Earlier in his career, he managed an orphanage in East Africa, overseeing educational and operational initiatives for underprivileged children. Falco holds an MBA from Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business.

Based in Geneva, Switzerland, Frederic Werner is a leading figure at the intersection of artificial intelligence, technology, and global development. As Chief of Strategic Engagement at ITU—the UN’s specialized agency for digital technologies—and Chief of Strategy and Operations for AI for Good, he drives initiatives that shape how AI is applied to humanity’s most pressing challenges.

Frederic is a co-creator of the United Nations AI for Good Global Summit, a flagship platform linking AI innovators with real-world problem owners to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Under his leadership, AI for Good has evolved into a global hub for innovation, collaboration, and practical solutions that advance the responsible use of AI.

At ITU, he leads strategic efforts that foster international cooperation in digital transformation and standards development, ensuring the organization remains at the forefront of global AI and technology governance.

Before ITU, Frederic served as Communications & Program Director at ETIS in Brussels, building a major pan-European network of CIOs and cybersecurity leaders. He previously headed Marketing and Communications at the European Organization for Conformity Assessment, managing EU-funded ICT capacity-building programs.

A frequent keynote speaker at major global tech events, Frederic is widely recognized for his insights on AI governance, capacity building, and standards. He holds degrees in business, international management, telecoms technology, and a certificate from MIT Sloan, and has lived across Europe, Africa, and Asia, bringing a deeply global perspective to his work.

Francisco Rodríguez-Henríquez received his PhD in electrical and computer engineering from Oregon State University in June 2000. From July 2000 to May 2002, Prof. Rodríguez-Henríquez was collaborating as a security architect for IT companies in Germany and the U.S. From May 2002 to May 2022, he was a professor in the Computer Science Department of the Advanced Research Center at Mexico City. Since May 2021, Prof. Rodríguez-Henríquez is Technical Director in the Cryptography Research Centre of the Technology Innovation Institute at Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Prof. Rodríguez-Henríquez has co-authored over 60 technical papers and several book chapters. He is also the first author of the book Cryptographic Algorithms on Reconfigurable Hardware, published by Springer in November 2006. Additionally, Dr. Rodríguez-Henríquez has served in a number of program committees of information security and cryptographic international conferences. He was TCHES 2024 co-Editor-in-Chief and CRYPTO 2025 General Chair and Director of the International Association for Cryptologic Research (IACR) Board of Directors for the period of 2024-2026. He is co-founder of the International Conference on Cryptology and Information Security in Latin America (Latincrypt) and the Advanced School on Cryptology and Information Security in Latin America (ASCrypto), which are considered the leading cryptographic periodical meetings in the Latin America region. His research interests lie in applied cryptography and computer arithmetic.

Dr. Gregoire Ribordy, co-founder and CEO, has 20 years of experience in various R&D and management roles in the field of optical measurements and communication systems. He founded ID Quantique in 2001 and has managed the company since then. Prior to this, he was a research fellow at the Group of Applied Physics of the University of Geneva between 1997 and 2001. In this position, he actively developed quantum cryptography technology and is the holder of a number of patents in the field. Between 1995 and 1996, Dr. Ribordy worked in the R&D division of Nikon Corp. in Tokyo.

Dr. Ribordy is the recipient of several awards such as the 2001 New Entrepreneurs in Technology and Science prize, the 2002 de Vigier award and the Swiss Society for Optics and Microscopy 1999 prize. At the end of 2005, he was selected as one of the most innovative individuals in information technology worldwide by the World Technology Network. Dr. Ribordy, with the other co-founders of IDQ, were awarded the Medal of Innovation in 2017 and the Impact Award in 2019 by the University of Geneva.

Hani Khalaf is the Field CTO for Data and AI Solutions at Dell Technologies. He believes in Data, Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI being key disruptive technologies in driving the digital transformation of organizations and is very passionate about helping organizations utilize data and AI in their digitization journey. He has over 29 years of experience in the field of telecommunications, networking, public safety, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and smart cities solutions.

Dr. Hakim Hacid is the Chief Researcher of the Artificial Intelligence and Digital Science Research Center in Technology Innovation Institute (TII), a cutting-edge UAE-based scientific research center, leading the diverse efforts around LLM’s and Machine Learning. Prior to joining TII, he was an Associate Professor at Zayed University, a customer analytics head at Zain telecom, and a research department head at Bell Labs Research. He is a published author of many research articles in top journals conferences and holds several industrial patents to his credit. His research specialization includes machine learning, databases, natural language processing, security. He obtained his PhD in Data Mining/Databases and also a double master’s in Computer Sc (Master by Research & Professional Master) from University of Lyon, France.

Hassan Alnoon is the Founder of Ghisha and a technology professional with nearly 15 years of experience in the technology and information security sector. He is passionate about emerging technologies and the growing impact of AI on society, national security, and everyday life. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a master’s degree in Information Security and Cryptography.

Hirotaka Yoshida is currently the group leader of the security assurance scheme research group at Cyber Physical Security Research Institute (CPSEC) at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST). He is SC 27 WG 2 Convenor. His research focuses on security certification schemes, lightweight cryptography, hardware security, secure system design. He received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from KU Leuven, Belgium, in 2013. From 2001 to 2016, he was with the Research & Development Group, Hitachi, Ltd.

He holds M.Sc. degrees in Biochemistry and Theoretical Physics and earned his Ph.D. from ETH Zurich in 1999. After a Marie Curie Fellowship at the University of Cambridge, he worked with Prof. Ursula Röthlisberger at ETH Zurich and EPFL, where he became MER in 2010. He later joined IBM Research–Zurich in 2014. His work spans quantum–classical dynamics, materials design using ab initio and machine-learning methods, and quantum algorithms for simulating correlated fermionic systems.

Before joining TII, Dr Grieve spent seven years at Singapore’s Center for Quantum Technologies, where he remains a Visiting Research Associate Professor. At CQT, he led a team developing polymer waveguide platforms for quantum photonic applications. Dr Grieve’s previous research topics have included entangled photon sources, single photon detector systems and a stint working on fiber-based quantum key distribution systems as part of a collaboration with Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (Singtel). Dr Grieve completed his PhD at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom in 2012, with research focused on optically trapped nanotools. Dr Grieve is broadly interested in the behaviour of light, weak or strong, and especially in nano- and micro-scale systems.

Janne Hirvimies brings over 20 years of experience in secure platform development, mobile security, and hardware-assisted security solutions. As CTO of QuantumGate, he leads the technical vision for quantum-safe cybersecurity products, including quantum-resistant VPNs, identity management, and crypto discovery tools.

Originally from Finland, Janne began his career in electronics and microelectronics, later pivoting to software security during his time at Nokia, where he worked on platform security for mobile devices. His career includes leadership roles at INTEL, HUAWEI, and KATIM, where he served as VP of the Phones Business Unit.

Now based in Abu Dhabi, Janne is helping shape the UAE’s cybersecurity landscape through QuantumGate’s affiliation with the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) and its commercialization arm, VentureOne.

Jayakaran Paul is a cyber security leader in the banking sector, with over 20 years of specialized experience in information security, technology, and digital risk management. As SVP & Head of Cyber Security and Identity Management, he has been instrumental in shaping and executing enterprise-wide cyber security strategies, overseeing critical domains such as PKI and digital cryptography, identity and access management, AI/ML technologies and payments security. Jayakaran has led the successful implementation of advanced PKI and cryptographic solutions, enabling secure digital banking and regulatory compliance. His expertise encompasses Security automations, governance, risk, and compliance (GRC), technology risk management, cloud and application security, and the orchestration of cyber resilience frameworks. Jayakaran is recognized for his strategic vision, technical depth, and commitment to advancing cyber security maturity in the financial services industry.

Ren Jigang, associate professor in Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, selected Youth Innovation Promotion Association，CAS at 2014. In July 2001, he get bachelor’s degree in science from Tsinghua University and Ph.D in science from Tsinghua University in July 2007. From 2007 to 2010, he was a postdoctoral researcher of University of Science and Technology of China(USTC). Since 2010, he has been an associate professor of USTC. His main research areas is free space quantum communication. In recent years published more than 10 research papers including one paper in Nature and one paper in Nature Photonics.

Mr. Salah Khaled has been serving as the Director of UNESCO Doha Office for Gulf States and Yemen, as well as UNESCO Representative to the Gulf States and Yemen, since May 2022. He began his career with the United Nations in 1993, initially working with the UNDP in Egypt and later at UNICEF. His journey with UNESCO started in 2001, where he held various key positions across the Middle East, Asia, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa, including in post-conflict and post-disaster regions.

Throughout his career, Mr. Khaled contributed to significant UNESCO projects, including coordinating operations in Iraq under the Oil for Food Programme and supporting education system restructuring and cultural heritage protection in Iraq. He also played a vital role in relief efforts after the 2010 Haiti earthquake and served in leadership roles in Pakistan, South Sudan, and the North Africa region, where he acted as Regional Director for the UNESCO office in Rabat, overseeing activities in Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria, and Tunisia. Before his current role, Mr. Khaled was the Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Central Africa, overseeing operations in multiple countries.

Khalifa Alhammadi is a cybersecurity strategist and innovation advocate affiliated with CyberE71, the UAE’s flagship program for advancing cybersecurity entrepreneurship. CyberE71 serves as a launchpad for Emirati startups, offering mentorship, regulatory guidance, and access to global tech platforms. Khalifa plays a central role in mentoring emerging cyber talent, supporting the development of quantum-safe technologies, and promoting digital resilience across the region.

His work aligns with the UAE’s broader vision to become a global leader in cybersecurity innovation, and he frequently engages with academic institutions, government bodies, and private sector partners to drive collaborative growth.

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Maitha Alshaali is a Senior Research Engineer in the Artificial Intelligence and Digital Science Research Center (AIDRC) at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in Abu Dhabi, where she works at the intersection of AI and program analysis. She also pursues a PhD at Durham University, UK. Maitha obtained her MSc in Cyber Security and her BSc in IT Security from Zayed University, UAE. Her work and research focus on binary analysis and vulnerability detection, developing practical tools that improve software security relying on advanced generative AI. Before joining TII, Maitha was a cybersecurity analyst at aeCERT focused on incident response and digital forensics.

Margo Cronin is an EMEA Principal Security and Compliance Specialist at Amazon Web Services. With over 20 years of experience in IT and security, she helps regulated organizations design and operate secure cloud architectures that meet complex compliance, data privacy, and residency requirements. Her work spans healthcare, telecommunications, military, and financial services sectors, with a focus on implementing cloud-native controls, risk mapping, and resilient design patterns. Before joining AWS, Margo held enterprise architecture leadership roles at major financial services institutions, driving large-scale modernization programs and integrating security into engineering practices. Margo is a frequent keynote speaker and advocate for pragmatic security engineering, helping organizations translate governance into real-world technical outcomes.

Mr. Michael Osborne is the CTO of IBM Quantum Safe at IBM Research – Zurich, where he leads global efforts in quantum-safe cryptography and secure data technologies.

Michael Osborne serves as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for IBM Quantum Safe at IBM Research – Zurich, Switzerland. He leads IBM’s global strategy for quantum-safe cryptography, focusing on developing and standardizing technologies that protect data against future quantum threats. His work ensures that IBM’s products and services are equipped with quantum-resistant encryption to safeguard sensitive information for decades to come.

In addition to his cryptographic leadership, Osborne has contributed to the development of pseudonymization technologies that enable secure data processing while maintaining privacy. He played a key role in IBM’s collaboration with Truata, a GDPR-compliant data trust that extracts insights from anonymized data.

Osborne is a frequent speaker at global cybersecurity and quantum technology forums, including the Aspen Cyber Summit, where he discusses the intersection of quantum innovation and data protection.

Mohammed Aboul-Magd is Vice President of Product for the SandboxAQ Cybersecurity Group, leading the full product portfolio to deliver advanced cybersecurity solutions for some of the world’s most critical organizations. SandboxAQ, spun out of Alphabet in 2022, has raised over $1 billion from leading investors including Eric Schmidt, Google, NVIDIA, Marc Benioff, and Ray Dalio.

Previously, Mohammed was Vice President of Product at Snyk, where he launched Snyk Code – an AI-powered security platform that scaled to $100 million in annual recurring revenue – partnering with some of the world’s largest enterprises to solve complex security challenges.

Earlier at Akamai Technologies, he founded and built the company’s Edge Compute business, bringing distributed computing to global customers.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Systems Engineering with Highest Distinction from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada

CEO at EXORDIUM, founder of bugloud the first bug bounty platform with AI in the middle east, co-author of AI powered development security blueprint, used to be the head of MOI-CERT.

Mohammed Khaled Al Shamsi is an Emirati entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of CyberNet Platform, launched in 2022 to make cybersecurity education accessible and engaging for youth across the UAE and Arabic-speaking countries. With a background in computer engineering, software development, and vulnerability research, he has trained in Red Team operations, malware analysis, and kernel exploit development through programs like BEACON RED and internships with Abu Dhabi Police.

CyberNet has quickly gained recognition for its gamified learning approach, offering challenges, webinars, and certifications that promote digital safety and career readiness. The platform collaborates with universities, companies, and government entities, positioning itself as a national hub for cybersecurity talent development.

Nils is an Assistant Professor in the Machine Learning department at MBZUAI who focused on secure and private machine learning. His work includes developing methods for content watermarking, privacy-preserving and secure inference, alignment of ML models, and enhancing the robustness of ML systems. His dissertation was awarded the Top Mathematics Doctoral Prize in 2024, and he received the PhD Alumni Gold Medal from the University of Waterloo.

Rauda Al Dhaheri is a visionary leader driving Abu Dhabi’s innovation and research agenda across AI, FinTech, Cybersecurity, Digital Transformation, Big Data, and Quantum Technologies. As Head of Research and Development at ADGM Academy, she has led the creation of the ADGM Academy Tech Centre and the UAE’s first Quantum-Secure Communications Testbed, fostering high-impact collaborations that connect global partners with national priorities. Recognized for advancing research excellence and talent development, Rauda continues to position Abu Dhabi at the forefront of technological innovation and sustainable knowledge growth.

Rafael Misoczki is a Cryptographer at Meta, working on post-quantum and conventional cryptography and their deployment across diverse products and infrastructure. He’s the Technology Lead for the post quantum cryptography migration of the company. He previously served as a Cryptographer at Google, where he was one of the maintainers of the Tink cryptographic library, led storage-encryption projects, and was the technically lead for the company-wide post-quantum migration efforts. Before that, he was a Research Scientist at Intel Labs, where he created the TinyCrypt library and led Intel’s post-quantum cryptography agenda.
Rafael has filed over 40 U.S. patents, published more than 20 scientific papers, and his work has been cited over 1,000 times. He is an active contributor to global cryptography standards—including co-authoring HQC, BIKE, and Classic McEliece in the NIST PQC process, serving as editor of ISO/IEC 14888-4, and participating in ISO/IEC and INCITS committees.
He holds a Ph.D. in cryptography from Sorbonne Universités (Université Pierre et Marie Curie) and regularly reviews for leading journals and conferences in information security.

Rajeev Nair is a seasoned technology executive with over two decades of experience leading digital transformation and innovation initiatives across global enterprises. He combines technical depth with strategic vision to guide organizations in adopting AI and next-generation platforms.
Throughout his career, Rajeev has:
• spearheaded enterprise-scale modernization efforts,
• built cross-functional teams to deliver scalable, AI-enabled solutions, and
• championed a culture of experimentation, agility, and impact.
At the event, Rajeev will share insights from his journey in integrating AI responsibly into business operations, democratizing analytics, and scaling intelligent systems in complex settings.

René Peralta obtained a B.A. in Economics from Hamilton College, an M.S. in Mathematics from SUNY Binghamton, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California at Berkeley. He has held various positions in academia, mostly as a professor of cryptology, algorithmics and computational number theory. In 2005 he moved to NIST from Yale University.

He is currently a scientist with the Computer Security Division. Among the NIST projects he is currently involved in are Multi-Party Threshold Cryptography, Circuit Complexity, The NIST Randomness Beacon, Privacy Enhancing Cryptography, and Post-Quantum Cryptography.

Dr. Reza Azarderakhsh is the Founder and CEO of PQSecure Technologies, LLC and a Professor of Computer Engineering at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). He leads the FAU Cryptographic Engineering Lab, specializing in post-quantum cryptography (PQC), hardware and software security, and side-channel-attack protection, with a focus on developing quantum-safe cryptographic solutions for embedded systems, IoT, and defense applications. A public speaker and author of over 150 publications in cryptographic engineering and quantum cybersecurity, Dr. Azarderakhsh is also a member of the MITRE PQCC and NIST NCCoE consortiums, contributing to national efforts on PQC standardization and deployment. His company, PQSecure, delivers silicon-proven and side-channel-protected PQC IP solutions compliant with NIST PQC and CNSA 2.0 standards. He frequently serves as a speaker and panelist at leading international conferences such as ICMC, SPIE, HOST, DAC, ETSI/PQC, and IQT, promoting innovation and collaboration toward a secure post-quantum future.

Richard Schöbel is the Regional Sales Director at ID Quantique, where he has extensive experience in business development, particularly in quantum-based cybersecurity solutions. His responsibilities include engaging with governments, telecommunications companies, and large enterprises to develop quantum-secure strategies and drive innovation in the field. He is known for his leadership and ability to deliver results in complex international environments.

Rushabh Shah is the Head of Security Solutions at Emircom, bringing over 14 years of experience across the IT and Cybersecurity domains.

He specializes in designing and implementing advanced network and security architectures that align with business goals and regulatory needs. With expertise spanning NGFW, SIEM, DLP, NAC, and WAF, Rushabh has supported key industries including Oil & Gas, BFSI, Government, and Telecom.

At Emircom, he leads the Security Solutions portfolio: building integrated, intelligent systems that help organizations stay secure, resilient, and ready for what’s next.

Robert has 10 years of space instrument development experience and was previously a Senior Research Fellow and Satellite Team Lead at the Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT). He holds a PhD in Instrument Science (MEMS Plasma Analysers) from University College London (UCL) and a Master’s in Physics from the Durham University.

Rod Chapman is a senior principal applied scientist within the Cryptography group of Amazon Web Services. He specializes in the design, development and verification of cryptographic software, and has particular experience with programming language design and automated reasoning technologies. He also coaches development teams and leadership in high-assurance software development disciplines, technologies,and processes. He is a Fellow of the IET and an honorary visiting professor at the University of York.

Dr. Sana Amairi-Pyka is the Lead Scientist for Quantum Communications at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in Abu Dhabi, where she leads the Abu Dhabi Quantum Optical Ground Station (ADQOGS) project to advance space-based quantum communication and secure global optical networks. She holds a Ph.D. in Quantum Optical Metrology from the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Germany and a certificate in Executive Leadership Development from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

In 2025, she was selected by Junior Chamber International as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) under 40 worldwide for her impact in science and technology. Her earlier career includes postdoctoral work on ESA’s LISA mission at Humboldt University of Berlin. In 2017, her scientific accomplishments were recognized with substantial funding from the Berlin Senate Administration BCP, and she was named an ambassadress for the “Brain City Berlin” campaign. She held leadership roles at the European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC). She has served as an external expert to the European Commission since 2017 and has contributed to research initiatives across Europe, the MENA region, and Australia.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanapyka/

Shadab is a Partner with EY MENA Cyber practice, advising government, infrastructure and financial services organizations across Middle East & North Africa. A qualified cyber practitioner, Shadab has close to 20 years of experience in assessing, implementing and transforming cyber security with tangible outcomes for top management, boards and investors across the globe. Shadab has worked with number of government, infrastructure and financial services clients in the past, both in the role of a consultant as well as an assessor. government, infrastructure and financial services As a trusted advisor, Shadab has been responsible for delivering a number of cyber security projects, where cyber strategy & operating model needed turnaround or realignment, upskilling of internal cyber staffs became a strategic priority, adoption of new & emerging cyber technologies became a business priority to maintain operational resilience or complying with the stringent cyber security regulations became a top management priority.

Simon Reiniche is a cybersecurity executive and startup advisor currently involved with CyberE71, the UAE’s flagship program for advancing cybersecurity innovation and entrepreneurship. With a background in business development, threat intelligence, and startup ecosystems, Simon brings a global perspective to building and scaling cyber ventures.

He has held leadership roles at companies such as Threatray, ISTARI, and Flashpoint, where he focused on client strategy, revenue growth, and public sector engagement across EMEA. Simon is also the Co-Founder of Innixus, a company focused on cyber threat intelligence and resilience.

At CyberE71, Simon contributes to mentoring and supporting emerging cybersecurity startups, helping them navigate product-market fit, investment readiness, and international expansion.

Somas Balasubramanian, based in Dubai, AE, is currently a Client Technical Advisor at GBM. Somas Balasubramanian brings experience from previous roles at IBM Middle East FZ LLC, IBM India, IBM and Connect New Zealand Limited. Somas Balasubramanian holds a 1994 – 1998 MBA in Marketing & Corporate Finance @ University of Madras. With a robust skill set that includes Pre-sales, Cloud Computing, Solution Architecture, Leadership, Virtualization and more. Somas Balasubramanian has 2 emails on RocketReach.

Ms. Sofia Grypari is a Product Management Principal at QuantumGate, where she drives innovation in post-quantum cybersecurity solutions.

Sofia Grypari is a Product Management Principal at QuantumGate, a UAE-based cybersecurity startup focused on post-quantum cryptography. Originally from Greece, Sofia’s career has spanned multiple industries and countries, driven by her deep curiosity and passion for tackling complex challenges. She thrives in fast-paced environments and is known for her ability to lead product strategy in emerging tech domains.

At QuantumGate, she is immersed in one of the most dynamic frontiers in cybersecurity, helping shape solutions that protect data against quantum-enabled threats. Her role involves translating technical innovation into scalable products that meet the evolving needs of enterprise and government clients.

Stefan Lespezeanu is the General Manager for Quantum Communications at Honeywell. He leads the strategic development and commercialization of Honeywell’s quantum communications portfolio, with a focus on space-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). Stefan oversees the integration of advanced quantum-enabled payloads, secure ground infrastructure, and full mission architectures to deliver scalable Quantum-as-a-Service (QaaS) solutions. His work is instrumental in shaping Honeywell’s role in the future of secure global connectivity, driving innovation across satellite systems and quantum networking technologies. Stefan brings expertise in product strategy, systems engineering, and emerging quantum technologies, positioning Honeywell at the forefront of the quantum communications sector.

Sukiraman Manivannan is the Practice Lead for AI and Data Security within the Cyber Consulting Services unit at CPX, a G42 company. He advises enterprises and national programs on securing advanced technologies and implementing governance frameworks. Suki focuses on mitigating emerging risks and ensuring safety in AI-driven environments, while actively exploring innovative solutions to address evolving cybersecurity challenges.

With over 20 years of experience in the Defence and Space sector, Thomas is a seasoned engineering leader known for guiding complex, mission-critical technology development programs. As the lead on major initiatives, and later as Head of R&D and Technology Strategy, he has played a pivotal role in securing strategic business opportunities for Space42. He has also overseen the development, integration, and deployment of advanced satellite communications and Earth observation systems for defense, government, and commercial customers. Thomas began his career at Thales Group in radar and electronic warfare product development before transitioning into the satellite communications domain, where he has built deep technical expertise and a strong record of program leadership. He holds a Master of Science in Telecommunications and Electronic Engineering.

Dr. Toshinobu Yasuhira is currently on secondment from the National Police Agency of Japan, where he has had a distinguished career spanning over two decades since 2002. He presently serves as the Director of the INTERPOL Innovation Centre, a position he assumed in November 2023. Prior to this, he held the role of Digital Crime Officer in the INTERPOL Cybercrime Directorate from 2016 to 2018. Throughout his illustrious career, Dr Yasuhira has held various key positions in diverse departments, including International Investigative Operations, Cybercrime Investigation, and High-Tech Crime Technology. Notably, he served as Assistant Director in the Cyber-Intelligence Unit at the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office, providing critical intelligence to inform the Cabinet’s decision-making processes. Immediately preceding his current role, he was the Deputy Head of the National Central Bureau (NCB) Tokyo. Dr. Yasuhira holds a PhD, Master’s, and Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the University of Tokyo, JAPAN, with a specialization in Applied Physics and a research focus on Experimental Quantum Physics.

Vadim Rodimin PhD is a researcher in quantum optics and quantum communications at the Technology Innovation Institute in Abu Dhabi. His work focuses on entanglement-based Quantum Key Distribution, polarization mode dispersion in optical fiber networks, and the development of high-brightness SPDC photon-pair sources for secure metro-scale quantum links.

Dr. Victor Juan Mateu leads the research and development of cryptographic solutions in the cryptographic research center at TII.

His extensive expertise in applied cryptography spans among different areas such as secure protocol design, cryptographic engineering, security architecture for embedded systems, design of electronic voting solutions, zero knowledge proofs, and quantum resistant cryptography.

Dr. Mateu has written multiple conference papers, open-source IEEE and Elsevier journal papers and book chapters. Moreover, he has also actively contributed several open-source projects supporting cryptographic libraries and its integration in company products for international companies.

Dr. Xudong Han is the Founder and CEO of LibrAI, a company dedicated to advancing AI safety, reliability, and responsible AI practices. He is also a Research Fellow at the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), where he works on post-training alignment, scalable oversight, and evaluation frameworks for large language models.

Dr. Han holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Melbourne, where his research focused on fairness, robustness, and the safety properties of deep neural networks. His work spans multiple areas including automated AI evaluation, reward modeling, red-teaming, and the development of AI supervisors capable of providing expert-level critiques at scale. He has contributed to safety testing programs at OpenAI and Anthropic, and has published over 50 research papers in leading AI venues.

Dr. Han’s current efforts center on building reliable AI assessment infrastructures for enterprises and accelerating the development of trustworthy, aligned AI systems.

Yury Kurochkin is a Principal Investigator at the Technology Innovation Institute. He has experience in fundamental and applied quantum optics research, both in discrete and continuous variables. Yury Kurochkin’s career includes not only research, but also strategic consulting and the development of startups in the field of quantum communication.