Company strengthens long-term regional commitment with a leadership appointment aimed at expanding critical infrastructure protection capabilities
OPSWAT has reinforced its strategic focus on the Middle East and North Africa with the appointment of cybersecurity veteran Hussam Sidani as Vice President for the region. With more than 25 years of industry experience, Sidani is widely regarded for his role in scaling major cybersecurity companies and positioning them as market leaders across the Gulf and broader MENA markets. His appointment signals OPSWAT’s intent to deepen its roots in a region that is rapidly advancing national digital transformation and critical infrastructure modernisation.
In his new role, Sidani will drive OPSWAT’s next phase of regional expansion by strengthening its position as the go-to provider for critical infrastructure protection (CIP) cybersecurity solutions. His mandate spans boosting local threat intelligence, expanding Arabic-speaking technical support and customer success capabilities, enhancing professional services for deployment and optimisation, and advancing OPSWAT Academy programmes aligned to regional regulations. A key pillar of his strategy will be developing a stronger ecosystem of certified partners and integrated solution providers to support high-impact sectors such as energy, banking, telecom, transportation, and healthcare.
Sidani will report directly to James Neilson, Senior Vice President International at OPSWAT, who highlighted the strategic nature of the appointment. “Hussam has a proven ability to elevate global cybersecurity organisations by enabling local relevance, cultural understanding, and in-region technical depth. This is precisely aligned with OPSWAT’s long-term commitment to the Middle East,” Neilson said.
The leadership move comes at a time when cyberattacks on critical national infrastructure are intensifying, driven by accelerated digital adoption and growing operational technology (OT) vulnerabilities. As governments pursue ambitious transformation agendas, securing essential services has become a national priority.
Reflecting on his new role, Sidani said, “Critical infrastructure protection is where cybersecurity intersects with national security, economic stability, and public safety. After 25 years in this industry, the work that matters most is protecting systems society depends on. OPSWAT understands this deeply, and I look forward to contributing to its mission.”
Sidani previously held senior roles at Cybereason, FireEye, Symantec, Avaya, 3Com and NCR, where he built strong market presence and channel ecosystems across the region.
