Driving OT and IT cyber resilience in the IR 4.0 era

When

9 - 10 May 2023

Where

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Event overview

With the increased need to optimize digitalization strategies and technologies within the energy and utilities sector, cyber security remains key to securing and protecting business continuity from critical threats. In fact, in the GCC region, 50% of cyber security attacks target the energy and utility sectors. These threats are magnified by the drive towards IR 4.0 and the speed at which technologies continue to evolve. Cyber attackers are also continuously adapting their tactics, techniques, and procedures to evade and defeat the latest prevention and response methods causing a national security alert and requiring decision makers to take crucial measures and protect their critical assets In line with these developments, the 3rd Cyber Security for Energy & Utilities Conference is hosted on the 8-9 May 2023, in Abu Dhabi, UAE, to provide an annual platform for industry experts from the region’s national oil and gas companies, power generation, and utilities, to meet and share knowledge and contribute to the development of cyber resilience of the industry. The conference will address the emerging cyber threats, explore the best practices and solutions to identify and prevent vulnerabilities and effectively safeguard IT and OT systems, and key strategies to ensure a successful digitalization and business continuity with minimal risks.

Event in numbers

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Decision Makers 

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Speakers  

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Countries 
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panel discussions

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case studies and technical presentations

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Media partners

WHO WILL ATTEND?

Chiefs, VPs, Directors, Heads and Specialists from the following departments:

INDUSTRIES

Energy and Power
Oil and Gas
Utilities
Petrochemicals

Speakers

Ali Abdulla Hassan

Chief of Information Technology
Ministry of Oil Bahrain
Kingdom of Bahrain

Dr. Ahmed Alketbi

Chief Information Security Officer, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)
United Arab Emirates

Clinton Firth

Partner,
Global Cybersecurity Energy Industry leader, Ernst & Young Global Limited (EY)
United Arab Emirates

Eng. Doreb Ebrahim

Technical Advisor, Head of Section of Electrical Strategy Monitoring and Control Department,
Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA)
United Arab Emirates

Dr. Ebrahim Al Zaabi

Artificial Intelligence Expert & Cybersecurity Director, 
Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC)
United Arab Emirates

Ezzeddine Jradi

Chief Transformation & Business Excellence Officer,
Emirates District Cooling (EMICOOL)
United Arab Emirates

Hala Alhashmi

IT Chief Officer,
Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC)
United Arab Emirates

Imran Yousuf

Cyber Security Head,
Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC)
United Arab Emirates

Mohamed Salih

IT Infrastructure Architect,
Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC)
Kuwait

Mohamed Youssef

Chapter President,
Control System Cyber Security Association International (CS2AI.org)
United Arab Emirates

Nicholas Charnley

Global Chief Information Security Officer,
The Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA)
United Arab Emirates

Eng. Olaya Ghenia

Principal Director of Information System Security (CISO),
Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG)
Tunisia

Shaheela Banu

Chief Information Security Officer Kuwait Gulf Oil Company (KGOC)
Kuwait

Shaker Hashlan

ICS Cyber Security Analyst,
Saudi Electricity Company (SEC)
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Agenda

08:00

Registration, refreshments, and networking   

09:00 

Opening remarks by Great Minds Group  

09:05 – 09-10

Conference Chairman welcome address

09:10 – 09:15

Conference honorable guest welcome address

09:15 –10:00

Opening panel discussion - Driving business continuity and cyber resilience in the IR 4.0 era

Overview of the 2022 World Economic Forum cyber security pledge and its impact on the energy sector
Exploring the implementation of comprehensive cybersecurity strategy covering all departments of the organization and stakeholders
Establishing effective communication and collaboration between different departments and senior management to ensure a coordinated response in the event of a cyber incident
Staying up to date with the latest technology and threat trends to ensure the organization's cybersecurity defences are constantly evolving and improving
Adopting a business continuity plan in place to ensure that critical business operations can continue in the event of a disruptive incident

Panelists:

H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security, United Arab Emirates Government - United Arab Emirates
Dr. Ahmed Alketbi, Chief Information Security Officer, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), United Arab Emirates
Ali Abdulla Hassan, Chief of Information Technology, Ministry of Oil Bahrain – Kingdom of Bahrain
Dr. Ebrahim Al Zaabi, Artificial Intelligence & Cybersecurity Expert - United Arab Emirates
Hadi Anwar, Chief Cyber Defense Officer, CPX Holding L.L.C - United Arab Emirates
Khaled Altenaiji, Cyber Security Head, Emirates National Oil Company Group (ENOC) - United Arab Emirates

Moderator:

10:00 – 10:15

Keynote presentation - Biggest challenges in ICS, OT and IoT security and top market trends and dynamics

Speaker:

10:15 – 11:00

Panel discussion: Securing the Industrial Control Systems (ICS) from malicious attacks beyond the network entry points

Overview of the threat landscape: what is the effect of increased interconnectivity of IT, OT, cloud and internet on the potential threats to ICS systems
Adopting effective ICS protection and prevention solutions such as Zero Trust Identity and asset-based segmentation and industrial firewalls to prevent attackers from moving within a network and accessing critical assets
Strengthening the physical security of ICS systems by implementing policy-based access control measures and methodologies to protect critical components and assets from cyber tampering or compromise
Regularly testing and auditing the security of ICS systems to identify potential weaknesses and vulnerabilities and ensure security controls’ effectiveness
Providing regular training and awareness programs to employees to help them understand the importance of security and reduce the risk of human error

Panelists:

Eng. Doreb Ebrahim, Technical Advisor, Head of Section of Electrical Strategy Monitoring and Control Department, Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) - United Arab Emirates
Imran Yousuf, Cyber Security Head, Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) - United Arab Emirates
Husain Mahmoud Al-Bustan, Chief Information Security Officer, Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) - Kuwait
Mohamed Youssef, Chapter President, Control System Cyber Security Association International (CS2AI.org) - United Arab Emirates
Shaker Hashlan, ICS Cyber Security Analyst, Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Moderator:

11:00 – 11:15

Presentation: OT threats and challenges of 2023

Speaker:

11:15 – 11:30

Presentation: Generative AI for cyber security

Speaker:

11:30 - 12:00

Networking break and exhibition tour

12:00 - 12:45

Panel discussion: IT & OT convergence - Accelerating the integration rate through creative cyber security solution innovation and development

In a world where IT and OT convergence is essential to achieving IR 4.0 – what are the threats, risks, and challenges for achieving a collaborative and secure environment?
How can organisations accelerate the integration rate despite the unique security challenges posed by IT-OT convergence?
What is the implication of access denial between IT and OT, understanding both department are concerns about achieving the same goal/aim
Utilizing security technology, such as firewalls, and intrusion detection systems to protect critical systems and data

Panelists:

Ezzeddine Jradi, Chief Transformation & Business Excellence Officer, Emirates District Cooling (EMICOOL) - United Arab Emirates
Hala Alhashmi, IT Chief Officer, Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC) - United Arab Emirates
Professor Mohammad Hammoudeh, SMIEEE, MCIIS, Saudi Aramco Cybersecurity Chair Professor, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Shaker Hashlan, ICS Cyber Security Analyst, Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Moderator:

12:45 – 13:05

Fireside chat: Adopting best practices to secure smart grids within the plant without compromising operational performance

Speaker:

Moderator:

13:05 – 13:45

Panel discussion: Aligning and integrating operations and communication between SOC, IT and OT teams and optimizing capabilities for a holistic infrastructure security

Implementing a centralized security management platform to integrate data from multiple sources and provide a unified view of security
Developing clear communication channels and protocols between SOC, IT, and OT teams to ensure a coordinated response to security incidents
Building a culture of security within the organization, emphasizing the importance of security, and encouraging personnel to report anomalies and incidents
Establishing a continuous improvement process to regularly evaluate and optimize the integrated security infrastructure and prevent the evolving threats

Panelist:

Dr. Abdulwahid Abdullah Al Abdulwahid, Program Director & Assistant Professor of Cyber Security, Jubail Industrial College Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Eng. Olaya Ghenia, Principal Director of Information System Security (CISO), Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG) – Tunisia
Mohamed Salih, IT Infrastructure Architect, Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC) - Kuwait
Shaikha Al‑Tobi, Cyber Security Section Head (Acting), Oman Electricity Transmission Company – Oman
Shoeb Pawaskar, Head of Cyber Security, Dubai Cable Manufacturers and Suppliers (DUCAB) - United Arab Emirates

Moderator:

13:45 – 14:05

Presentation: The Future of Energy and Utilities Cybersecurity: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities

14:05 – 14:20

Presentation: Post-mortem intervention - Forensics solutions and methods to analyze security breaches and implement the best pre, mid, and post-attack tactics

14:20 – 14:25

4th Cybersecurity for Energy and Utilities Conference KSA Edition Announcement

14:25 – 14:30

Closing remarks by the Conference Chairman

14:30 – 15:30

Networking lunch, and end of day one

08:30

Registration, refreshments, and networking   

09:30 – 09:50 

Welcome address and opening remarks by the Conference Chairman 

09:50 – 10:35

Opening panel discussion: The inevitable topic - Overcoming legacy system integration and security challenges

What is the current state of the legacy systems, including their capabilities and limitations towards addressing the challenges of the system?
Adopting a clear migration strategy that outlines the steps, timeline, and resources required for a successful legacy system integration
What is the role of implementing modern security practices, such as encryption and multi-factor authentication, integration into the new system?
Effective communication and coordination between key stakeholders, including IT teams, business units, and external partners to achieving a common goal
Implementation of monitoring solutions, priority alerts, AI-driven insights and root-cause analysis to improve the performance and efficiency of legacy systems

Panelists:

Husain Mahmoud Al-Bustan, Chief Information Security Officer, Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) – Kuwait
Khaled Altenaiji, Cyber Security Head, Emirates National Oil Company Group (ENOC) - United Arab Emirates
Pranav Bhopatkar, Director Cybersecurity | EEMEA, IPAC Honeywell - United Arab Emirates
Senior Executive, UAE Cyber Security Council
Professor Mohammad Hammoudeh, SMIEEE, MCIIS, Saudi Aramco Cybersecurity Chair Professor, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Moderator:

10:35 – 10:50

Keynote presentation – Reducing OT cybersecurity risk with early threat detection & incident response

Speaker:

10:50 – 11:35

Panel discussion: Network security – identifying and preventing potential threats for secure plant connectivity

Importance of conducting regular risk assessments to identify potential security threats and vulnerabilities in the network
Implementing strong access controls, such as authentication and authorization mechanisms that can aid in securing plant connectivity
Exploring network segmentation into smaller and more secure sub-networks to reduce the attack surface and limit the impact of a potential breach
Implementing network monitoring tools to detect and alert on suspicious activity, such as unauthorized access attempts
Developing and regularly testing an incident response plan to ensure a rapid and effective response to a security breach

Panelists:

Moderator:

11:35 – 11:50

Presentation: Rethinking resilience vs. emerging threats

Speaker:

11:50 – 12:05

Presentation: The OT cyberthreat is real: secure your network, internally & externally

Speaker:

12:05 – 12:30

Networking and coffee break

12:30 – 12:45

Fireside Chat: Safeguarding OT and IT environments using AI, ML, and advanced analytics solutions

Importance of integration between OT and IT environments for overall security
Evaluating the role of AI, ML, and advanced analytics in detecting and mitigating cyber threats
Exploring the best practices in implementing AI, ML, and advanced analytics in an OT and IT environment
Limitations and challenges in implementing AI-powered security solutions, including data privacy and ethical concerns
Discussing the future of AI and machine learning in cybersecurity and their impact on OT and IT

Speakers:

Moderator:

12:45 – 13:00

Case Study: Utilizing Demilitarized Zones (DMZ) and honeypots to protect energy and utilities cyber assets against advanced persistent threats

Speaker:

Industry Partner - to book the slot, please contact the partnership team at partnerships@gmevents.ae

13:00 – 13:45

Panel discussion: Integrating cyber and physical security to maximize energy and utilities assets protection

Looking at the connection between cyber and physical security and its cruciality in ensuring asset protection
Importance of integrating cyber and physical security to protect critical assets
Looking at key cyber threats to energy and utilities sector and their impact on physical assets
Role of technology in facilitating the integration of cyber and physical security, including IoT devices, sensors, access identification, and video surveillance systems
Best methods for cyber and physical security integration, including threat intelligence sharing and incident response planning

Panelist:

Dr Saad Said Alqahtany, Dean, College of Computer Science & Information Systems (Cyber Security & Digital Forensics Consultant), Islamic University (IU) – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Imran Yousuf, Cyber Security Head, Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) - United Arab Emirates
Mohamed Youssef, Chapter President, Control System Cyber Security Association International (CS2AI.org) - United Arab Emirates

Moderator:

13:45 – 14:00

Presentation: Minimizing third-party risk and securing supply chains mobility

Speaker:

14:00 – 14:05

4th Cybersecurity for Energy and Utilities Conference KSA Edition Announcement

14:05 – 14:10

Closing remarks by Conference Chairman

14:10 – 15:10

Networking lunch, and end of day one

OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE

We only work with the best to offer the best to our customers. Great Minds Conferences are a great platform to get your message across to your target audience. Whether you are looking to educate your target market, launch a new product or increase your branding and visibility, our team will work closely with you to develop a package that suits your requirements and helps you stand out as a Great Mind in this space.

WHO SHOULD SPONSOR?

Solution providers offering the following:

Media Partners

WHY GET INVOLVED?  

Get in front of your target market

Get access to key stakeholders involved with cyber security in the energy and utilities sector in the region and get insight into their plans to invest in new technologies and spot opportunities.  

Increase your competitiveness

Learn about the challenges faced by the region’s key entities and identify how you can provide them with customised solutions to help them overcome them.   

Generate strong leads

Learn about future cyber security requirements for key energy and utilities companies and influence decision makers and stand a chance of being shortlisted for upcoming projects.  

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