Held at Shangri-La Dubai, the CSG Awards 2025 brought together top CISOs, cybersecurity leaders, and ecosystem partners to recognize innovation, resilience, and collaborative defense strategies in the digital age.
The CSG Awards 2025 unfolded in grand style at the Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai, offering a dynamic platform that brought together over 100 cybersecurity leaders, CISOs, and a vibrant community of ecosystem partners including vendors, VADs, MSSPs, consultants, and SOC service providers. More than just an awards ceremony, the event was a powerful confluence of recognition, innovation, and strategic dialogue tailored for the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape in the Middle East.
Organized by Accent Info Media, the event celebrated outstanding achievements in cybersecurity, honoring both individual leaders and ecosystem players who have made significant contributions to securing digital infrastructures across the region. As cyber threats grow increasingly sophisticated, the event emphasized the need for a unified, collaborative approach—a theme that resonated throughout the evening.
The event began with a product showcase, where select cybersecurity solution providers demonstrated their latest technologies, highlighting innovative approaches to threat detection, risk management, and digital resilience.
This was followed by a welcome note from Sanjay Mohapatra, Editor at Accent Info Media Publications, who set the tone by underlining the urgent need for strong leadership and synergy between CISOs and solution providers. “This event is a celebration of collaboration,” he said. “In a world where cyberattacks are increasingly borderless and AI-powered, only collective intelligence can defend our digital future.”
A notable highlight was the introduction of the Cybersecurity Advisors Network (CyAN) by Bharat Raigangar, Board Advisor at 1CxO and vCISO CyberSecurist. Marking CyAN’s 10th anniversary, Raigangar emphasized the organization’s global mission to support cybersecurity leaders through mentoring, knowledge sharing, and thought leadership.
“CyAN has grown into a global force for cyber advocacy and trust-building,” said Raigangar. “As we look forward, our focus will be on empowering CISOs in emerging markets and building bridges between policy, business, and technology.”
The stage was then set for an engaging knowledge-sharing segment led by prominent cybersecurity leaders and innovators:
- Chandra Pandey, CEO of Seceon, delivered an incisive presentation on the evolving threat landscape, sharing how Seceon’s AI-driven threat detection platform is helping businesses stay ahead of ransomware, insider threats, and APTs. “Visibility, speed, and automation are the cornerstones of modern cyber defense,” Pandey said.
- Pradeep Krishnan Nair, VP – IT Security, and Walid Faour, Senior Security Consultant at Finesse Global, offered an in-depth look at SOC strategies tailored for the region, addressing the shift from reactive monitoring to predictive threat response. Their session highlighted the importance of localized, scalable SOC services in meeting the growing demand for 24/7 cyber vigilance.
- Ata İğdebeli, Regional Sales Director at OctoXLabs, introduced the company’s vision for the Middle East market, emphasizing collaborative threat intelligence sharing and resilient cloud-first architectures.
- Sushobhan Mukherjee, Co-Founder and CEO of Prime Infoserv LLP, presented his firm’s initiatives in the region and its role in building cybersecurity maturity among SMBs and public sector entities.
One of the most engaging moments of the evening was the fireside chat between Chenxi Wang, Ph.D., Managing General Partner at Rain Capital, and Bharat Raigangar. Their discussion spanned a range of pressing topics including AI-enabled attacks, boardroom cyber accountability, and the growing role of women in cybersecurity leadership.
Dr. Wang, a noted cybersecurity investor and thought leader, remarked, “The threat landscape is not only growing in volume but in sophistication. As defenders, we must outpace adversaries through innovation, partnerships, and diversity of thought.”
Jury Panel Introduction: A Stalwart Line-up of Cyber Mentors
Following the knowledge sessions, Sanjay Mohapatra introduced the CSG Awards Jury Panel, a distinguished group of cybersecurity strategists and governance experts who evaluated nominations across various categories. The jury comprised:
- Partha Sarathy, Cybersecurity Mentor
- Bharat Raigangar, Board Advisor, 1CxO, vCISO CyberSecurist
- Kawther Haciane, MENA Partner Consulting Digital Risk Leader, EY
- Irene Corpuz, Strategic Steering Committee Member, Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE)
- Anoop Kumar, Head of Information Security Governance, Risk & Compliance, Gulf News (Al Nisr Publishing)
- Mario Foster, Group CIO, Al Ghurair Group
Their collective experience and multi-sectoral perspectives ensured a transparent and rigorous selection process for the award recipients.
The awards ceremony was the emotional crescendo of the evening. A total of 50 CISOs and cybersecurity leaders were honored with CSG Awards 2025 for their strategic leadership, operational excellence, and innovation in safeguarding digital assets.
In addition to the individual awards, 10 ecosystem partners—including solution providers, MSSPs, and consulting firms—were recognized for their instrumental role in enabling secure digital transformation across industries such as finance, healthcare, oil & gas, and government.
Each awardee was called on stage to receive their honor amid loud applause, industry camaraderie, and a sense of shared mission.
Conclusion:
The CSG Awards 2025 wasn’t just a celebration—it was a clarion call for regional cyber resilience. By bringing together CISOs, business leaders, and technology partners, the event served as a powerful reminder that cybersecurity is not a siloed function, but a collective endeavor that spans across strategy, operations, policy, and partnerships.
As the curtains fell on a memorable night, attendees left with new insights, strong connections, and renewed commitment to defending the Middle East’s digital frontiers.
