The Global Security Symposium 2026 & Sovereign AI Summit – The GEC Enterprise Intelligence Summit 2026 successfully marked its 10th Congregation at the prestigious Be VIP Arena on 15th April 2026, bringing together an influential community of global CIOs, CISOs, policymakers, and enterprise technology leaders.
This milestone edition was centered around the critical theme of National Resilience and Crisis Management, addressing the growing need for nations and enterprises to build secure, intelligent, and future-ready digital ecosystems. The summit reinforced its position as a strategic platform for collaboration, dialogue, and actionable insights on cybersecurity, sovereign AI, digital trust, and enterprise continuity.
The event commenced with the UAE National Anthem, setting a tone of unity and national pride.
Welcome Remarks were delivered by Faisal Khan, Board Member, Global CISO Forum, highlighting the urgency of collaborative cybersecurity frameworks.
Opening Note by Aditya Kaushik, Events Maestro, Global CIO Forum, emphasized the evolution of the summit into a global movement driving enterprise intelligence.
Conference Chair Remarks by Dr. Ebrahim Al Alkeem, Director – Digital Transformation, Cyber Security & AI, Government Entity, underscored the importance of resilience-led strategies in combating emerging digital threats.
Key sessions and discussions
Panel Discussion: Resilient Nations, Relentless Continuity – Cybersecurity and BCM in Action During Crisis
Moderated by Farid Farouq (Senior Vice President – DWTC), this high-impact panel explored real-world crisis scenarios and the role of cybersecurity and business continuity management (BCM).
Panelists included:
Kawther Haciane, EY
Hadi Anwar, CPX
Eman Al Awadhi, Connect 21 / Expo City Dubai
The session emphasized proactive risk management, cross-sector collaboration, and the integration of resilience into national infrastructure.
Keynote Address
Abir Habbal, Chief Data and AI Officer at Accenture Middle East, delivered a compelling keynote on the transformative role of AI in strengthening cybersecurity frameworks and enabling intelligent enterprise resilience.
Panel: AI-Powered Cybersecurity and Resilience – “Bend but Don’t Break”
Moderated by Jeevan Badigari (Arada), this session highlighted how AI-driven systems can adapt and respond to cyber threats in real time.
Panelists included:
Pramod Gupta, DataMiner
Ibrahim Adefila, Al Rostamani Group
Hussain Alkhalsan, Zand
Patrick Pitchappa, Equiti Group
Anoop Kumar, Gulf News
The discussion focused on adaptive security models, predictive threat intelligence, and the importance of resilient architectures.
Industry Keynote
Muzzi Ebrahim, Partner – AI & Data at Deloitte Middle East, shared insights on leveraging AI for enterprise transformation, highlighting the balance between innovation, governance, and measurable outcomes.
Panel: Achieving Measurable AI ROI
Moderated by Terence Sathyanarayan (Pulse Intelligent Systems), this session tackled one of the most pressing questions for enterprises: translating AI investments into tangible business value.
Panelists included:
Adnan Ghanem, EIS Technologies
Chandra Ramu Pandiripalli, ZMI Holdings
Noman Ejaz, Tatweer Middle East & Africa
Kayvan Karim, Heriot-Watt University Dubai
The panel provided actionable strategies on aligning AI initiatives with business goals, governance frameworks, and performance metrics.
A key highlight of the summit was the Awards Ceremony, where outstanding leaders and organizations were recognized for their contributions to cybersecurity, AI innovation, and enterprise resilience. These awards celebrated excellence, leadership, and the relentless pursuit of secure digital transformation.
The success of the event was made possible with the support of esteemed partners and sponsors:
SUDO | ManageEngine | Skyline Communications | Finesse | Teksalah | Tayef | Cato Networks | Digit AG
Their commitment to innovation and enterprise security played a vital role in shaping meaningful conversations and impactful outcomes throughout the summit.
The 10th Congregation of the Global Security Symposium & Sovereign AI Summit stood as a powerful testament to the importance of collaboration in exploring today’s complex digital ecosystem. From insightful keynotes to high-level panel discussions, the event fostered knowledge exchange and strategic alignment among global leaders.
As cyber threats evolve and AI continues to reshape industries, the summit reaffirmed a clear message: resilience, intelligence, and collaboration are the pillars of a secure digital future.
