How successful do you think ADIPEC is this year against the backdrop of the dip in oil prices?
This conference is where the oil and gas as well as technology players come together. This is more so under the light of the low oil prices, because everything around efficiency and cyber security is becoming more important. For example, cyber security is a new track at the conference, reflecting how important it has become to prevent cyber breaches from impacting the industry.
How did DarkMatter get impacted in the past year as a result of the low oil prices?
We were not impact at all. In fact, we are growing tremendously. The UAE and the GCC are becoming very serious about their cyber security. This is especially true when it comes to oil and gas, which is one of the most critical infrastructures of the country, contributing a large share to the UAE’s GDP. We haven’t seen any cut downs on cyber security because now it is a must-have rather than a luxury. Any breach can be huge blow to the revenue as well as the bottom line.
What led to this new focus on cyber security in the region?
As you can see, the cyber-attacks are on the rise. You saw what happened recently in the US and Liberia. These attacks are focusing on critical infrastructures of nations. We are no longer at the stage where it is targeting just a couple of companies from the financial standpoint or a loss of a few credit cards. It started attempting to bring nations and smart cities down, which can really hurt countries from a financial standpoint, reputation standpoint, or even loss of life. This is why cyber security is now taking centre stage across the world. In the GCC, as a matter of fact, in its reliance on a couple of industries like the oil and gas sector, addressing this issue has become extremely important.
Technology is now a big thing and there are new players exploring this rea. What makes DarkMatter different from others?
First, DarkMatter has a holistic view of cyber security. A lot of players who work in the sector are focused on particular areas with a couple of products and services here and there. There is not a single company in the world, and I am coming from California’s Silicon Valley, that has products, solutions and services under one umbrella as DarkMatter does.
Second, what makes us different is our global team who comes from 40+ countries. Thanks to our UAE headquarters, we have the luxury to hire the best. A lot of the folks, including myself, really love this part of the world because at some level it is not as legacy driven as the US, China or India. Here in this region, change can happen very quickly, while elsewhere this can take up to 5-10 years. So our headquarters being in the UAE gives us the opportunity to become a global player very quickly.
What are your expectations for 2017?
Unfortunately, cyber-attacks continue to be on the rise and are now targeting critical infrastructures of cities and nations. Those attacks are becoming more and more sophisticated. This can bring not just the businesses but the whole country down. If you look at smart cities like Abu Dhabi and Dubai, everything is interconnected whether it is oil and gas or other sectors. Therefore, countries and cities have to spend more to be really secure. Otherwise, one big attack can bring the whole nation down and the impact will be enormous.
