The Cybersecurity 100: MENA’s Most Influential Cybersecurity Leaders – 2026

The Cybersecurity 100: MENA’s Most Influential Cybersecurity Leaders – 2026 highlights a cross‑section of senior executives shaping cyber strategy across the Middle East and North Africa. The list profiles CISO‑level and senior technology leaders from banking, insurance, government and large corporate groups — including Abdulla Alhashmi, Senior Vice President – Information Security at ALDAR; Alex Constantinidis, Group CISO at QNB; and Anfal Shaikh, Chief Information Security Officer at Qatar Islamic Insurance Group (QIIG). The compilation underscores how these leaders are steering initiatives in cloud security, incident response, regulatory alignment and security operations to protect increasingly complex digital environments.

"The Cybersecurity 100: MENA’s Most Influential Cybersecurity Leaders – 2026 recognises the professionals who are helping shape the region’s cybersecurity landscape through strategic leadership, innovation, risk management, security governance, technology transformation, and cyber resilience," the introduction to the list states.

Profiles and priorities

The leaders named bring a mix of operational expertise and strategic oversight. Abdulla Alhashmi, with more than 16 years of experience, is highlighted for strengthening cyber resilience at ALDAR and for recognition such as the CISO 50 Award 2024. Alex Constantinidis, a 25‑year veteran, is credited with establishing QNB’s Information Security department and leading the development of a next‑generation Security Operations Centre across the bank and its subsidiaries.

• Abhishek Singh, CISO at National Bank of Oman, is noted for his work on secure cloud and AI adoption, identity and access management, SIEM and NDR, and contributions to the Oman Banks Association and EC‑Council advisory efforts.
• Anand Prabhu S K, Head of Cyber Security at Qatar Insurance Group, oversees SOC, SIEM, SOAR, incident response and has led ISO 27001 certification and alignment with NIST, CIS, SOC 2 and GDPR frameworks.
• Alaa Ouf, acting CISO and Senior Infrastructure, Network & Information Security Leader at Al Dhafra Insurance Company, implemented ISO/IEC 27001 ISMS and achieved ADHICS certification across 14 locations.
• Ayoub Fathi, CISO at Noon, and Ashok Padmanabhan, IT Director at Al Fujairah National Insurance Company, represent leaders focused on resilient enterprise systems, database and network security, and mission‑critical operations.
• Anas Almarzouqi, Director of Security at Al Habtoor Group, brings executive security, crisis management and protective services experience, combining people management with organisational security strategy.
• Ali Al Kaf Alhashmi, Vice President Cybersecurity & Technology at Mubadala, is recognised for strategic planning and technology risk management supported by an academic background in cybersecurity.

Across sectors, recurring themes in the profiles include integration of security into broader digital transformation, emphasis on regulatory and board engagement, and investment in detection and response capabilities such as SOCs, SOAR and threat hunting. Several leaders are also driving secure‑by‑design approaches to cloud migration and AI adoption, reflecting the shift from technical controls to enterprise risk management.

Outlook

As organisations in the region contend with ransomware, data breaches and increasingly sophisticated attacks, the named executives will likely continue prioritising cyber resilience, governance and cross‑organisational collaboration. Their roles in certification programmes, regulatory alignment and building next‑generation security operations suggest an industry focus on measurable controls and readiness — from board‑level reporting to hands‑on operational improvements in threat detection, incident response and secure cloud transformation.