The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council led a U.S. Department of Commerce-certified cyber security trade mission to the U.A.E. during the GISEC Global conference in Dubai from 5-8 May 2025. This delegation was comprised of executives from 26 American companies interested in entering the U.A.E. market or companies keen to grow their business in the U.A.E. This trade delegation received significant support from the U.S. Mission in the U.A.E. and the U.A.E. Cybersecurity Council. During the visit, the delegation participated in:

• A country brief with the U.S. Mission to the U.A.E.
• A business and legal brief led by a cyber security expert from Morgan Lewis;
• Meetings in Dubai with e&, the Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC), CPX, U.A.E. Minister of Foreign Trade H.E. Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, the NYU Abu Dhabi Center for Cyber Security, and Technology Innovation Institute (TII); 
• An industry reception which featured representatives from the U.A.E. Cybersecurity Council, U.S. Consul General Robert Raines, and Doron Avni, Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Emerging Markets, Google; 
• Meetings in Abu Dhabi with senior representatives from EDGE Group, the Abu Dhabi Department of Government Enablement (DGE), Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DOH), and Mohamed bin Zayed University of AI (MBZUAI).  

The trade mission met with Sudhir Menon, VP – Product Management & Strategic Alliances, Help AG (part of e&) to discuss its work in the cybersecurity sector. 

• e& seeks to invest in innovative technologies and forge partnerships that create value. 
• e& is focused on building up its cyber defense and post-quantum businesses. 

In Dubai, they also met with Dr. Bushra AlBlooshi, Director of Cybsecurity and Governance, and Abdulla Alsuwaidi, Director of Cyber Security Planning and Performance at the Dubai Electronic Security Center. 

• DESC is interested in public-private partnerships and working with private sector leaders in the cyber industry.
• DESC organized a “Capture the Flag” competition at GISEC Global focusing on different trends in cybersecurity such as reverse engineering and digital forensics. 

Delegates met at GISEC with Hadi Anwar, CEO of CPX and his colleagues Rajiv Sager, Executive Director for Clients, Growth & Partnerships, and Vimal Sethi, Global Head of Partnerships & Alliances 

• Mr. Anwar explained that CPX is a company under the G42 umbrella and focuses on the national level. 
• One of CPX’s key offerings are Government Risk Assessments (GRCs) and helping track an organization’s effectiveness in managing governance and risk.

U.A.E. Minister of State for Foreign Trade H.E. Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi discussed regional issues and the impact of the U.A.E.’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agenda (CEPA) on technology cooperation. 

• The U.A.E. has concluded 27 CEPA agreements and expects to complete 45 CEPAs by the end of the year; CEPA agreements have a digital economy component. 
• H.E. Al Zeyoudi advised companies interested in the U.A.E. market to not “jump directly into opening a license” and focus on building connections and understanding the market and stakeholders.  

Professor Ozgur Sinanoglu, Managing Director of the NYU Abu Dhabi Center for Cybersecurity, discussed the university’s role in the U.A.E. technology and cybersecurity ecosystem. 

• NYU Abu Dhabi places cybersecurity researchers and students into U.S. private sector companies where they gain experience and training. 
• NYU Abu Dhabi seeks more business partnerships to build on its already robust research work; commercial partnerships would give the university more access to data and help commercialize research. 

Dr. Shreekant Thakar, Chief Researcher, Secure Systems Research Center and Dr. Victor Mateu, Acting Chief Researcher, Cryptography Research Center spoke of developments at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII)

• One of the major challenges of the security community is building public confidence in technology systems, such as cloud infrastructure.
• Research advancements and cross-sector collaboration can help solve “real problems” as seen by the use of AI tools to combat forest fires in California. 

During the Abu Dhabi part of the visit, the delegation met with EDGE Group and senior officials from the Abu Dhabi Department of Government Enablement (DGE), Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DOH), and Mohamed bin Zayed University of AI (MBZUAI). 

At EDGE Group, senior representatives from EDGE offshoots BEACON RED, KATIM, and FADA briefed delegates on EDGE’s offerings in ultra-secure communication platforms and space.  

• The U.A.E. is committed to developing new cybersecurity capabilities, such as the BEACON RED and KATIM platforms, to combat cyber-attacks and prevent anti-tampering. 
• EDGE is looking for partners that will bring innovative solutions and specialist technology; areas of priority include threat intelligence, digital overwatch and competitive intelligence that helps address EDGE’s national security mandate.    

Eng. Eissa Naser Al Hammadi, Office Director, Information and Cyber Security at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi emphasized that the protection of sensitive medical data relies on strong cybersecurity defenses.

• The DOH is actively engaged in partnerships, both public and private sector, to enhance healthcare and ensure data protection within the Emirate.

H.E. Nayib Al Maskari, Executive Director, Gov Cybersecurity Ops Sector, H.E. Dr. Ahmed Aljneibi, Executive Director, Gov Digital Strategy, Transformation and Governance Sector, and H.E. Saleh Yahya Farah Hamed, Executive Director – Digital Cloud & Infrastructure Ops. Sector at the DGE explained the ways the department supports the delivery of key digital services. 

• The DGE’s top goal is to become an AI-native government that delivers proactive, AI-driven, and personalized services to citizens. 
• Companies interested in bringing solutions and partnering with the DGE must provide “secure” AI that meets DGE’s operability and methodology requirements.

Professor Sami Haddain, Vice President of Research, provided an overview of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of AI (MBZUAI) and its research efforts in the cybersecurity space. 

• Delegates toured MBZUAI and received interactive presentations on MBZUAI’s AI-driven weather forecasting, JAIS language model, and robotics work. 
• MBZUAI provides an executive education program that provides AI upskilling; H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, U.A.E. Head of Cybersecurity, is a graduate. 

To learn more about the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council’s programming in the cybersecurity sector, please contact Adam Karadsheh at akaradsheh@usuaebusiness.org.