Most Innovative Leaders in Cybersecurity to Watch in 2025.pdf

Hani Bani Amer, Head of Information Security at Al Etihad Payments (AEP), is redefining cybersecurity in the UAE’s digital payments sector. With over two decades of experience, his visionary leadership and technical expertise are building robust, future-proof cyber infrastructures—featured on ciolookmedia.

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en. ; à) Cybersecurity
E to Watch in 2025

Defining Cyber Resilience and Empowering Innovation

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5. Visionary Leadership in Cybersecurity
Shaping Resilience and Innovation

-seyberscuityineteasngly bscomesacomerstone
‘of global business operations and national scary.
zations are facing a rapidly evolving and
‘more complex threat landscape. The widespread adoption of
loud computing, the shill toward remote and hybrid
workforces nd thers in sophisticated eyberatacks have
ampli vulnerables across indus and government
tor ls These changes not only expand the potential
Stack surface but ao miroduce now challenges m scan
sensitive data, ensuring regulatory compliance, and
‘maintaining business continuity. In thi environment,
ct eappraschesarenolongersuhcint

C1OLsoKinitsexchsiveKatre Mont Innovative Leaders
im Cybersecurity to Watch in 2025 rocopnizss indus
‘who combine echnical expertise with race visio. Their

cybersecurity workforce. By
intelligence, zero-tust models,

teten, these leaders ae building adaptive and resent
‘defenses. Beyond technological innovation, they are sting
benchmaris ı ethical data protection and privacy while

7. 08 The Front Page Exclusive

Hani Bani Amer

Defining Cyber Resilience and Empowering Innovation

Industry Insights

Promoting Safety
1 6 Cybersecurity Strategies for a Safer
Online Experience

From Threats to Trust
20 The Role of Innovation in Cybersecurity

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11. Most Innovative Leaders in Cybersecurity to Watchin 2025

The Front Page Exclusive

Hani Bani Amer

Defining Cyber Resilience and Empowering Innovation

€ £ Cybersecurity is not an obstacle to progress, rather
sets the foundation to enable innovation and
sustainability to thrive.”

Head of Information Security
AlEtihad Payments

12. an a o ransformationa echnological imovations,

the arena of cybersccuriy is expanding. Industry

Leaders ae redefining static and making a masivo
‘impact through their dedication and innovative thought
process Among these ends is Hani Bani Amer, who has
postioned himself atthe top with vision, technical know:
how, and cru leadership, As the Head of Information.
Security of Al Etihad Payments (AEP), he has led he
gromih of the UAFs digital payment sio, pushing the
Roumain of what i amie while bringing confidence in
cverthing they de Having spent more than two decades on
an lation crec, Bani Amer’ unyielding commiment to
Gimovatin,leadendip, operational excellence and builine
strong dial Fotprim. says much aboot his indomitable
drive towards propre ie leader testament ot ast
do his van echicl koe how bt alan to hi taie for
building robust, future proof cyber infrastructures that
rect nd empower communities in today interconnected
seit

¿CIO Look gota apportamiy to it down for an informative
interview with Han Inthiintrvicw he opened up about hit
Profesional journey, experience, callnges, achievements,
And future plane Following are the highlights of the

Could you share the key milestones in your personal and
professional journey?

Absolutely My carcrintechnology staid bck in 205, just
three months afer gradunted from university. 1 consider
myself quite Forte to have landod my Art job x0
‘quickly especially a à time when many fresh graduates
Struggle break mothe indy

Deore graduation, close friend advisd me to puras my
fia profesional creation. That suggestion tumod out
ca game changer It gave mea head star and positioned me
‘wel orjb opportuni ight out of university

Dat Ike many carlyeaner professional, I had a lt of
named questions Wha do Illy santo do? What will
make me happy? Where can contrae the most? How can
make lasing impact These questions kept me up at ight
went though several interviews some were tough, and 2
Tew were outright discauraping, especially given that
expectations were offen 100 high for someone Seah out of
school Sail, am at fromeach experince.

Atonc point, found myscifiom between parsing carer in
technical rl orig ward alex Evenly, realized
thatthe most efectivo eax profesional in tcnology are

those who truly understand the Icchnology those with à
solid Accbncal foundation. That insight helped shape my
decision

So, commit o technical ath and started my carcor at
[Network Engincr From humble beginning wth technology,
parer and sevi provider companies, ancien into
‘managing network and cur operations at bank, lowed
‘by a role in the ofl and gas sete, focusing où sccmiy
operation and sminittion My jour Ier took me toa
“oupleafmajorslation provider sonde.

Today, I'm proud to be leading the Information Security
fiction at Al had Payments I hs been and ile path
Filed with Icaming, growth, challenges, and continuons
voton hat fil demande

‘Please ell us about our experiences of being the Head of
security at different factions ad organizations.

[Every experince Vivo fad as Head of Security has Boon
nique and eimelaing nt own way The expectations and
challenges vary signiicanly depending on the organizations
usines vertical and the specifi function within the scary
landicepo. Ive have boom prvileged to work in both he
Inking and fiance sector ax well ar the oil and ga
industry two vasly diferent in terms of ik appetite,
relator quirement, andopertional dynamic.

In ation, my corer has gunned across both operational
and governance focused roles within the eyhersecuiy
industry. These two roles, while complementary, aro
Fundamentally dirt in heir responsibilities and strategie
objectives

[As Hea of Sccuity Administration, ar position on the
front Ines as the feet lino of defense. My primary
responsibility isto build, implement, and operate security
‘contra in alignment withthe organization's approved
{overance frameworks.

Im contrat, my role ax Head of Information Security
Governance is centered on building the overarching,
intron si progam, Tie de deso
ix, Frameworks, eybersceuity incident response
Haring ad compila lts, wie maig ey
Wh business unite 10 ensure these were offectvely
implemented and adhered to across the organization.
requires a more strategic view focusing on risk
‘management, regulary aligns, snkcholderengagement,
anderos functional governance

13. 4:

Cybersecurity industry
must transform from
being reactive to be
proactive intelligence-
driven industry”

15. ‘Together, they've provided me with holistic view of the
cpbonceurty landscape and a strong appreciation for the
Interplay been governance, compliance, and operations.

‘What motivates you to keep pushing boundaries and to
deliver thebestinformation curity services?

"That's tough question, Dt in answer, my core motivation
lies in Biking things differently marc, ronge, and
more ren. I'm deiven by the challenge of dexigning
cur architecture and chere programe at ot
nly mst complianes standard but peruinly protec an
omanizations dat, systems, and operations regalos of
{he nata ar sophistication ofthe heats they foc. Whether
ite safepuaning the confidentiality, ing, or availabilty
ferial a, Pace eyboncearity as an aber, not an
bacilo asinccerccces

My broader ambition is to help shift the cybensccurity
inst oma ret, assumption based industry toa more
roativeitliponcedrvenappreach One sts rund
fe ets ol far We ned la ul ita corners hat am
sor attacks, adap to treats, and continu I operate with
confidence. 1 believe that by laying strong security
Tourdations, we ompowcr not just individual organizations,
tic reader digital community to rivoin an increasingly
how eyberlandscaps

Cyber threats are evolving faster than ever, from threat
point of view, what i the bigzes cybersecurity challenge
facing organizations today, and how should they
approachsobingit?

“The biggest challenge today in just the sophistication o
cyber threats, ba ls the peed and sale at which they are
volving, cpocial with Al and automation now in the
acer tnt But wnfotrate, th weakest nk remain
to be the human factor. Phiching, social ngincering, and
rental compromise account takeover stil count or the
‘majority of reach. So the real challenge i how to build
‘curity that's both human centric and rein,

Onpmizations nce sil from a parcyrectivemindecttos
proactive, risk-aware culture. That means investing in
modern integrated detection systems, and embedding
cybersceurity ino every layer of the business, from
nf and cedo care adopting positive security

model, continuous user education, and cross-functional
collaboration are jus ends; they are essential scuriy
feeds, The Cybersceurity business problems shall be
ren ata hoard level, se rel, he omarion hat
ave trate chen wil eet Fat

What are the most significant challenges facing the
information security sector today, and how are you
Addreningthem?

“Th information security octor faces several significant and
‘evolving challenges everyday. Some of the most critical
Challenges are increasingly sophisticatod cyber threats,
amor, exotion, and supply chain attacks that ar
sccompanicd with the lack of security sibility. The
statics to address hm represented in mme of ways

+ Implementing a positive security model that is
implemented on a nccd-to-do basis climinating,
srnesearycepmunettodstasrdnydemaccte

+ Conducting proper behavior and technology assessments
prior onboarding any implementing any security
{Echnology andor choosing «vendor.

+ Implementing advanced detection technologies that ean
Be had on Al or asteramomaly and malicious behavior
detection

Alt of above mentioned would represent the standard and
traditional Cyborcearity BAU, What relly worrceme tha
the industry ie rot in nature and i espion hase;
‘hich might ead catastrophic outcomes the busines,

u
66

Building a resilient digital
ecosystem requires
embedding security into
every layer-from
infrastructure to culture.”

16. (14
m

Continuous validation, not
assumptions, should guide
our security posture in

today's threat landscape.”

‘Another perspective would beto conclude ractivencs and
stat with proactveness. This ensures tha the security
‘controls and sytem configuration arc bn way tha will
nd the aisck chin teach and evry plas of Th only
way lo overcome the asumption pet i by building an
sfectivencss validation program that will xt security
posture and security ears with visibility runs and bul
est required.

As bat ot east the number os thalkespalsccaity
professional up a night is the lack ol he required IT and
‘Scour ll in he market un and prets and
Fret

Wat i your longterm vision and how do you plas lo
achieve

Security collaboration Within the indasry and Experts
ley spect. This i beacuse the scouty profesional lady
src manly working in los ad (hy do commente wot
Sharvexpencice wien ober Socurty teem sport and
vers contribution to sindy might ead to major
adranscments ove time. nny opinion, his wil et strong
Foundation to pave a way for greater early collaboration
{Gat will vanos th cyber industry on loba scale
adopt eybersceuity industry recommendations and best
practices.

la what ways have you adapted or innovated to the
challenger and opporteaitica presented bythe digital ge?

The digital age has transformed how we connect, work and
rom, and mdapling to i has required both agility” and
Tonight Ve, we must wot forget baie security hygiene;
unfortunately in where mos organos sce.
{or failure. la the race lo innovate and with the daly

‘overwhelming workload, we often overlook the haies,
which cam lcd to major beaches. However, this should ot
eter un rom innovation. 1 fmly believe that innovation
should occur in arcas that embed security into Ihe
infrastuche, products, or application fromir inception.

‘The most attractive areas für security imovation would be
_continsous security validation, rt only foe security postre
at al for monitoring and deci capabilities, Another
promiximg avenue ix Continuous Threat Exposure.
Management (CTEM), along wiheyberrick quantification.

How do you see the role of technology evolving inthe
information security services ector aver the ner decade?

Information security technology and servicos works wih fll
reliance on technology as a backbone, and development in
the Information technology space in terms finance,
applications integrations, authentication encryption cc wil
Javea dire! impact om sytem and data meet nf,
integrity and availablity Pool eleve that wei be
secing deity and acces refined, we wil be scing more
‘OF hybrid cloud models, steady movement towards
‘compliance stdomtions

In ion organization wll be Focusing more and more on
Post quantum readiness, especially looking dexper into
Quantum esta algorhms to safeguard sensitive dats
pail ature qatar commuting ets

At Int bat not les, an explosion in arf inlligenee
adoption to detect, investigate, amd respond to hats in rat
time by implementing tots that will move from alerting
aralysttoautonomouly remediatingncients

CCobenceurty i very dynamic and very changing indus

and whats considered tb secur nw, High be scare
the next 5 minutes, which require vigilance and tying
rica. Keeping uptodate ih the ight work groupe and
collborañon platform would be a very difcul task to
chive, this ie where my ak to eyberscurity Teader i to
patcipae in building proper scout collortion and work
ro to share the knowledge and experiences in erste he
required platforms fo knowledge sharing, Cyterccuriy ica
‘ferent and dificult problem to sol and would require all
Available hands to help in solving iat dcpartmenta,
‘rpaizaiona, basinces vertical ort, county regional
‘ad bases ©

17. E Ss

“endava

REIMAGINING THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
PEOPLE & TECHNOLOGY

18. Cybersecurity
Strategies
or a Safer Online
Experience

ith way very ntworkod word, eternity
ax became a tchnical challenge transforma
into an imperative for poop, companies, and
inatains pea As eyhenpace cas have grown mone
complex and power in carac, noves before have the
‘hom ger nd or mel eet soit planning
rasormuare capable of bringing down a whole inition o
identity the hat destroys Hives and finances indivi
the impact ofinadoquate heurte rachis well
‘booed temporary anmoyance. The hyper convergent pace of
dig) change, especially since the word tioned to
remote working and intere based novices, has expanda!
the attack surface cyber attackers can leverage Traditional
ouais of security have Collao became workers now
acces company acts rom anywhere and on a a array of
Gcrices, and customers pay, shop. communicate, and
‘train thomclvex more and more digit, Thi change
‘oc lo be met in advance in tho ase of eyberscarity in
{Gomsof individual awarenow and tuto reinos

Good Digital Foundations

‘Aue nucleus every god eyhersccurty poston shaving
{gon authentication wescheniums in place and have gown
acces contol plie. Multi factor authentiation fs ape oF
the srongst conter measure to naher acces

us more an a single meds of pro i ation to regular
cruods.Thisprosidernextrenysecuredefana api
account breach cuen when passwords are stolen or
compromise since ational layers of security such as
Biometrie data, tardware devices, or ime ns by mobile
solwarcarcinvolwe

Password management goes beyond personal spa
tw corporate policy thal requires complet, regu
regular rotation, and

‘multiple accounts, Ci

my Par managen are
rnd lore separate wrong,
preso für al accounts wbi the user i only rir o

20. remember a master password. Organizations would
supplement these individual practices by using role hase
acces control pesto limiting emplayecs from accessing
Anything beyond resources necesuary lo perform theit
particular job respomsii. Coman de provisioning of
the accounts of departing employees and ongoing acces
review also supplement these fundamental scunty practices
‘thea impairing operations ficiency and compliance with

Data protec is the key clement of good eyborceaity
practical compl organization and individ to encrypt
a a rst and data in transit. Strong encryption method
offer robust security of confidential information on devices,
Servers and cloud infrastructure sch hat oven when physical
curity contols ae violated, he data remain unreadable o
‘authorized individuals. Full-disk encryption, fle
crio, anda enn ll ve tirpatt lay
in a mal layer security policy for the protection of
‘confidential informationatcverystagcofitsexinence.

Secure communication channels are taking an more
prominenee a Ielscomming and web haved collaborative
aplictions become widespread in organizations of every
nd. Viral private networks provid sur, encrypted
connections for inert communications roc dst in
transit from unsuthorved itereeption and manipalation
Secure wage policies for approve communication media,
mail eneryption methods, and safe file-sharing software
must he mandated by organizations, Im addition, secure
‘backup process ing encrypled offsite lag enable data
inter and rocoverbiiy in cas of sytem crash, natal
dicaer, or ransomware, Regalar testing of backup and
recovery process panies tht hese control ar in pac
andacsetthreatsprioriocybertiminalsleveraging hem.

‘Sestaining Awareness ith Continuous Monitoring.

Good eyhenscurity tone where ther it ngping monitoring,
‘with the help of builtin monitoring systems capable of
<etcetng, analyzing and reponding to hen threats in eal
time, SIEM solutions collet data across many locations
“within an oran ation inferir and applic advanced
analytics and machine learning techniques to detect
pci activity ar wel ae likely security even Those
systeme allo socurty professionals ore fast toa threats
it occun and provide a comprehensive log that can be
_nalyze 1 opor back on compliance. Cyber preparers

includes inciden response plaming stepwise dci
provides the steps toe followed durin the containment
{nvestipain,andrecoveryof security incidence

‘Well planned incident response plans allocate roles and
responsibiitcs, communication procedures, prescraton o
“evince procedures and ste by ep recovery procedures io
mimi downtime and data Ins. Tabletop excrisc and
‘ac simulation dil periodically can help onpanizations to
model their response mechaniem an decido where they can
Fi srcamincd, Additionally ive intligonco for the rake o
cron information in regard o cmerging tects va threat
intelligence feeds, security advisories, and industry
collaboration maker active defeme posible,

Conclusion

Fcio eybersccuriypracticesimolve a mul level procest
that incorporates authentication, cnryption of al, al time.
monitoring andthe adoption ofan swrenes sc necuriy
‘culture among fis. The dynamic security environment
requires individuals and firme to be constantly an guard,
‘eeeptive and proactivo in iecsalfsccriy Anar inthe
discipline of cybonccarit ie not acicved by a single patch
but by a clover integration of technical measures,
‘organizational straps, and human skills into a single
defense progam, Companies nd organization ha invest in
‘enterprise security strategic today will have a greater
opportunity to safeguard thir valuable assis, retain
[customer confidence, and beable to cantinas operating in a
rmorenetworked world €

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22. The Role of
Innovation in
Cybersecurity

ia
ANR

sebas

23. From Threats to Trust

24. valve within seconds. Breaches in operational technology
and cload environments can disrupt semis services and
compromise sensitive information, with far reaching
financial und reptational comoquenca. Ths has lod io 2
growing reliance on innovation driven eybersecurty
solutions hat kverage advanced technologies, predictivo
analytics and automaton dete, root and meule
Areas peed andpreciion

Tochnological lanovations Reshaping Cybersecurity

Emerging technologies are fundamentally tranforming how
onganizaions approach eyberceuriy Ati ineligence,
machine leaming, quantum computing, and Behavioral
rayée provide ncw epahiliic lo int, pric, and
prevent her threats before they can infict damage. A and
machine Icaring models can process massive dataset to
detect anomalies, uncover hidden valse, and dent
faticms of attack tat aman operators might miss. These
{echnolepice alin enable adaptive Ive intelligence system
{hat continously lar from past incidents and reine their
coca amateur tache

Cloud security salons and seo rua architectes are
Farther raping enereis eyberccunty dates Cloud
platforms allow for scalable deployment of security
‘measures, real-time monitoring, and rapid patching of
vulncrabilis. Zero trust frameworks enforce rigorous
veran o every user and device tempting to acces
crrarvationl mure, reducing the rick of unauthorized
access. Meanwhile, enenpton technologies, multifactor
authentication, and scar identity management practices are
becoming standard protocols as organizations scck 10
hance rslience and comply with ncrcadngiy stringent
bal data protection regulations

Haman Element and Collaboration in Cybersecurity

While technology is a crucial enabler, human expertise

remains indieponahle for an fective cybonceari rte}
Innovation Anwen appraschs emphasis the culation of
calle of continuous Fearing, where security teams are
encourage to experiment with new tools, har nai, and
<ollaborato across indie. Public private partnerships,
‘reat intelligence sharing platforms, and eros-aceir

Training and awarenese programs are equally vital in
strengthening cybenweuity resilience. Employecs at all
levels from exccutives to operational staff must
understand how to recognize and respond 10 threats

Situation awareness, and decision making copain As
lacher adopt more sophisticated techniques, opanizaions
must strike a Balance totwcen technological avancement

“and human oversight, ensuing hat both clement work
together to proce digital ats, operational inter, and
‘organizational reputation.

Concilios

Innovation hax become the comerstone of modern
eyborscuriy, enabling ovations t maintain rence
inthe cof apidly evolving threat. Advancedtechnologice
such as artificial inelligene, machine eaming, cloud
cri solutions, and seo tas architectures se denim
how business detec, proven, nd respond o yberatacks.
Simultancousy, collaboration, human expertise, and
coninuouslcaminpensreihatihesctechologicsarcaplic
‘ficctively and adapted to emerging challenges. As cyber
threats grow in complesty and seal, innovation drives
‘eybersccuriy approaches provide a sustainable path
forward ono that strengthens defenses, bild ut, ensures
‘compliance, and safeguards critical infrastructure. By
‘embracing both tchnologisl advancements and human.
entered strategies, organizations can create a robust,
adaptive eyberceuiy ecosystem capable of navigating the
een ofthe dita sans novation irons
fot merely an enabler but a nocesity for organization:
‘ving losceurcasassinhle and resin digital fue ©

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