GISEC Global 2026 launches Cyber First, bringing world leaders to Dubai to shape the new digital order

GISEC Global will open its 15th edition at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai, from 16–18 September 2026, having expanded 20 percent year-on-year and grown into what organisers describe as the world's third largest cybersecurity event. The conference and exhibition, staged by inD — a joint venture between Dubai World Trade Centre and Informa — expects more than 25,000 cybersecurity professionals, 750+ exhibiting brands, 350+ expert speakers and participants from 180+ countries, and will run under the strategic theme “Cyber First: The New Digital Order.”

"Artificial intelligence, geopolitical instability and the rapid evolution of digital technologies are fundamentally reshaping the cybersecurity landscape," said H.E. Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of the UAE Cyber Security Council. "As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated and interconnected, no single nation or organisation can address these challenges alone. The UAE is committed to fostering international collaboration, advancing cyber resilience and building trusted digital ecosystems that enable innovation and sustainable economic growth. GISEC Global 2026 will bring together governments, industry and the global cybersecurity community to develop practical solutions that help safeguard our shared digital future."

Event structure and leadership agenda

The 2026 programme introduces "Cyber First" as an overarching thought-leadership platform and launches the Cyber First Leadership Summit to convene ministers, national cyber authorities, global CISOs and technology leaders. Confirmed speakers for the summit include H.E. Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti; Subra Kumaraswamy, SVP & CISO, VISA, USA; Alex Attumalil, Global CISO, Under Armour (USA); and Roeland Delrue, Co-founder & COO, Aikido Security (Belgium), alongside additional international government leaders.

• New tracks and summits include the National Defence & Sovereign Cyber Track and the Quantum Security Summit, hosted by the UAE Cyber Security Council and the Technology Innovation Institute.
• The Global Quantum Drill expands the former Global Cyber Drill into a planned worldwide quantum readiness exercise.
• A Government Programme will be hosted by the Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC) and the UAE Cyber Security Council.

Domestic engagement and talent development

H.E. Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani, Chief Executive of the Dubai Electronic Security Center, highlighted DESC’s focus on skills development: “GISEC Global has consistently been an important platform for DESC to engage with the cybersecurity community, exchange expertise and advance Dubai’s cyber resilience. This year, we are building on that momentum with the second editions of two of our flagship competitions, the Dubai Cyber Challenge – Government Edition, and the School of Cyber Defense, giving university students across the UAE an opportunity to demonstrate and develop their skills.”

Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President of inD, underscored the broader economic stakes: "The digital economy can only thrive if it is built on trust, resilience and secure innovation. Today, cybersecurity is no longer solely a technology issue. It is fundamental to economic growth, national resilience and international competitiveness."

Industry participation and focus areas

The exhibition will feature cloud hyperscalers and cybersecurity vendors including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, Huawei, EDGE, CPX Holding, CyberKnight and Spire Solutions. Sessions will span operational technology security, critical infrastructure protection, cyber diplomacy, ethical hacking, AI-powered cyber defence, cloud security and workforce development.

Corey Deng, Chief Security Officer of Huawei Middle East & Central Asia, said: “The new digital order is fundamentally changing what cybersecurity means. As AI, cloud and digital technologies become increasingly embedded in critical operations, security must evolve beyond protection to become a foundation for intelligence and resilience. GISEC GLOBAL is an important platform for bringing together the leaders shaping this future, and Huawei is proud to contribute to this dialogue through our vision of ‘Embedded Intelligence, Built-in Resilience’ and our experience in building secure, resilient, and intelligent infrastructure.”

Organisers and government backers position GISEC Global 2026 as a focal point for shaping policy, accelerating capability building and preparing governments and organisations for AI-driven risks and the transition to the post-quantum era.