Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 105 | Page 11

NEWS

Alstom , IFS announce opening of regional headquarters in Riyadh

Alstom , the global provider in green and smart mobility solutions , inaugurated its regional headquarters in Riyadh . Strategically located in the capital of Saudi Arabia , the new headquarters is designed to enhance Alstom ’ s operations throughout the Gulf and beyond . This includes fostering growth and development , improving the oversight of key projects and optimising railway maintenance .

The inauguration also marks Mohamed Khalil ’ s new responsibility as Managing Director of Alstom ’ s Regional Headquarter in Riyadh , having led the business in the Saudi Arabia since 2022
Mohamed Khalil said , “ With a strong legacy spanning over 70 years , Alstom continues to lead in technological advancements and environmental responsibility . Our new office location , in the King Abdallah Financial District , will serve as a centre for our Middle
East operations , staffed by rail mobility engineers and data scientists to provide advanced expertise and digital services .”
The Riyadh office welcomes the establishment of the Services Digital Centre , a core part of Alstom ’ s strategy to advance condition-based and predictive maintenance for railway assets . HealthHub , Alstom ’ s web-based platform solution for predictive maintenance , optimizes maintenance operations , reduces downtime , and ensures high availability and reliability of railway services , supporting fleets globally .
The first week at the office was marked by the attendance of His Excellency Eng Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih , Minister of Investment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Gautam Sashittal , CEO of KAFD .
IFS announced the inauguration of its regional headquarters in Riyadh . The

SANS Institute to stage SANS Riyadh Cyber Leaders at Hyatt Regency Olaya

SANS Institute , the global provider in cybersecurity training and certification is returning to Saudi Arabia with SANS Riyadh Cyber Leaders from August 18 – 22 at the Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya . This is a comprehensive training event designed for security managers and SOC leaders who are committed to enhancing their leadership and technical skills , through both in-person training and simultaneous live online sessions .

Saudi Arabia recently achieved the highest global ranking in the cybersecurity indicator , as reported in the 2024 World Competitiveness Yearbook by IMD . This reaffirms the Kingdom ’ s role in international cybersecurity and is also a testament to its commitment towards Saudi Vision 2030 . However , despite this significant growth , cyber-attacks remain relentless , necessitating that governments , organisations , and individuals stay vigilant .
“ This emphasizes the importance of not only maintaining technical proficiency but also developing leadership skills to combat ongoing security threats proactively ,” said Ned Baltagi , Managing Director , Middle East , Africa , and Turkey , at SANS Institute .
Security Leadership Essentials for Managers will equip security leaders with essential technical knowledge and leadership skills to effectively manage security projects and high-performing teams , covering a multitude of key cybersecurity topics including security frameworks , architecture , engineering , application security , DevSecOps , GenAI security , cryptography , and more .
strategic move reiterates IFS ’ commitment to strengthen its position in the region and accelerate the Kingdom ’ s ongoing digital
transformation journey .
The regional headquarter establishment reaffirms IFS ’ focus on optimising local
resources and driving sustainable industrial innovations in the kingdom through its latest digital solutions . It will help local key industry players benefit from the latest technological advancements as IFS continues to innovate and drive operational efficiency in business processes .
Alstom ’ s regional headquarters in Riyadh
Ned Baltagi
Building and Security Operations Centres course empowers SOC managers to develop proactive , intelligence-driven defences against emerging threats . With hands-on exercises and Cyber42 interactive leadership simulations , these courses will help cybersecurity professionals align security activities with organisational goals and build forward-looking , fast-paced cyber defence capabilities .
“ And for security professionals to effectively plan , manage and execute security programmes and initiatives , they require both technical expertise and strong leadership abilities .”
SANS Institute will also hold a Community Night Talk , Empowering a Modern SOC With AI : Practical Use Cases . Traditional security operations centres , SOCs struggle with alert fatigue and data overload .
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