GISEC Global 2025 concludes with 11 new Guinness World Records
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: GISEC Global 2025 saw 11 Guinness World Records being set, and celebrated innovation, influential leaders and businesses shaping the future of the worldwide cybersecurity industry, as the world's third biggest and Middle East and Africa's largest cybersecurity event ended on Thursday.
Taking place across eight halls of the Dubai World Trade Centre, GISEC Global wrapped up on May 8 in style by making history with new feats. The 11 new Guinness World Records earned by the UAE Cybersecurity Council, host of GISEC Global, included:
Most nationalities in a gamified cybersecurity training
Most people in a gamified cybersecurity training
Most nationalities in a cyber drill competition – Global
Most nationalities in a simulated Dark Web intelligence training session
Most nationalities in a cyber capture the flag (CTF) competition
Most nationalities in a cybersecurity awareness lesson
Largest ransomware awareness session
Most nationalities attending a ransomware cybersecurity training session
Most people in a ransomware cybersecurity training session
Largest cyberbullying lesson
Largest cybersecurity event
Global Cyberdrill, organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and hosted by the UAE Cybersecurity Council, fostered cross-border collaboration and sharpened response strategies against evolving cyber threats, attracting delegations from over 130 national cybersecurity authorities and global CERTs/CIRTs/CSIRTs. In the four cyber threat simulation scenarios, Egypt came out on top, ahead of Lebanon and Belarus, who finished runner-up and third place, respectively.
At GISEC North Star Startups, powered by Cyber E71, the Unlock Pitch Competition, the largest pitch competition for cybersecurity start-ups, saw future unicorns discuss their outstanding products and services that are shaking up the industry.
A total of 20 startups took to the stage to impress a stellar judging panel that included top experts such as Luca Tagliaretti, Executive Director at European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC), and Dovi Frances, Founding Partner at Group 11.
Both were joined by Mahendra Ramsinghani, Managing Director of Secure Octane Investments, Silicon Valley's leading cybersecurity seed fund with over 30 investments, and Dr. Chenxi Wang, who was named Top Cyber Investor in the World by Fortune and Founder and General Partner of Rain Capital.
Following a rigid judging process, Exploit3rs, led by CEO Jumaa AlShamsi, was crowned the 'Judges Choice Award' winner, receiving the top prize. Other winners included: SPLXAI (Best Market Disruptor), Risknox (Best Innovative Solution), and Snode Technologies (Best Growth Potential).
Elsewhere, Dubai Cyber Challenge, organised by Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC), saw Dubai government entities compete over two days, focusing on different trends such as web security, reverse engineering and digital forensics through various challenges. Digital Dubai finished first, followed by Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation and ENOC in second and third places, respectively.
Meanwhile, following two days of insightful discussions, top-level roundtables and workshops, visitors heard from a distinguished line-up of world-leading experts for the final time this week on the pressing dilemmas facing the industry.
Among the topics on the agenda included the banking and finance sector and the importance of planning ahead and swift incident response, and women in cybersecurity and their roles in shaping a more secure digital future by bridging the awareness gap, driving inclusive education and becoming key defenders in the ecosystem.
Held under the theme of ' Securing an AI-Powered Future, the 14th edition saw Dubai World Trade Centre become the centre of the cybersecurity universe for three days, welcoming
750 of the world's foremost names in cybersecurity, 450 global CISOs and futurists from over 160 countries, and 25,000 visitors across the three days – strengthening Dubai's position as a global cybersecurity leader. It was hosted by the UAE Cybersecurity Council, and supported by DESC, the UAE Ministry of Interior and Dubai Police,
During the event, DESC launched of a series of innovative initiatives and projects aimed at strengthening Dubai's digital security and cyber infrastructure.
These included the Zero Trust Assessment Tool and Guideline, a major leap in securing Dubai's government networks and includes a comprehensive guide for implementing the Zero Trust model, which emphasizes continuous verification of identity and access rights. This practical tool assists organisations and local entities in transitioning to a Zero Trust framework, ensuring the protection of critical systems and data, in complex and dynamic technological environments, thereby reducing the risk of breaches and insider threats.
The Ethaq Plus Initiative was also launched, aimed at elevating digital trust and enabling secure, reliable transactions for organizations. The service provides certified digital certificates to protect data and communications, verify authenticity, and support the adoption of trusted digital identities and advanced security models that reduce cyber risks at the institutional level.
GISEC Global will return next year at a new venue, Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City, from 5-7 May 2026.
About GISEC Global
GISEC Global, Middle East & Africa's largest and most impactful cybersecurity event, will return to Dubai World Trade Centre for its 14th edition taking place from 6th to 8th May 2025, under the overarching theme of 'Securing an AI-Powered Future.' Following the monumental success of 2024, the super-connector event for the region's cybersecurity industry will bring together over 25,000 attendees, 750 exhibiting brands and 350-plus speakers hailing from over 160 countries. GISEC Global stands as the unrivalled platform for navigating the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity.
About Dubai World Trade Centre
About Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC):
A global business facilitator since 1979, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) is home to the region's leading purpose-built convention and exhibition centre. DWTC provides a platform for connecting people, products, innovation and ideas from around the world through a dynamic calendar of international trade exhibitions and its own roster of sector-leading mega events. As a designated free zone, complemented by award-winning commercial real estate, DWTC plays an integral role in Dubai and the region's growth story. Since its inauguration, DWTC has hosted over 6,000 events, with an estimated economic output of AED 248 billion, attracting over 38 million business visitors to Dubai.
Building on this legacy, DWTC's second flagship venue, the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), stands as a premier destination for prominent national and international mega events. Strategically aligned with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, DEC's recently announced AED 10 billion expansion is integral to Expo City Dubai's vision of becoming a global business hub for exhibitions and events.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arabian Business
14 minutes ago
- Arabian Business
Dubai and Abu Dhabi office markets boom as record sales and new developments reshape skylines in 2025
Dubai and Abu Dhabi are experiencing a surge in office market activity, with record sales, soaring rents and a wave of new developments set to transform both cities' commercial skylines, according to Knight Frank's H1 2025 Office Market Review. In Dubai, 83 office transactions worth more than AED10m ($2.72m) were completed in the first half of 2025 — a 207 per cent jump from the 27 deals recorded in the same period last year. Downtown led the market, with average prices surpassing AED 5,000 ($1,361) per square foot, while Business Bay crossed the AED 2,000 ($544) per square foott mark for the first time, after 21.2 per cent growth since 2020. Dubai office demand Off-plan office sales, concentrated mainly in Business Bay, are on the rise. The submarket is set to deliver more than 1.3 million sqft through this model, reflecting investor confidence in Dubai's prime financial hubs. DIFC remains the costliest office location in the city, averaging AED 400 ($109) per square foot for fitted offices, while robust rental growth is also being seen in The Greens (AED260/$71psf), Dubai Design District (AED 280/$76psf) and Business Bay (AED251/$68psf). Demand is being driven by the business services sector (38 per cent of total), followed by tech (31 per cent), real estate (12 per cent) and banking and finance (10 per cent). Faisal Durrani, Partner – Head of Research, Knight Frank MENA, said: 'Confidence in Dubai as a global business hub remains exceptionally strong. Indeed, this is reflected in record low vacancy rates for Grade A stock across the city, which stands in sharp contrast to many other global gateway cities. 'The technology and trading systems sector has emerged as major driver of demand, while sustained activity from financial, real estate and business consulting firms underscores the city's appeal to a diverse range of global occupiers. 'Developers are moving quickly to capitalise on current demand, with a further 25.2 million square feet expected by 2030, when we forecast the total office stock in the city to approach 148 million square feet. 'The confidence in the office sector is further evidenced by the boom in high-value transactions, with the number of office sales over AED 10 million setting a record of 83 sales in H1 2025.' The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) recorded its busiest ever first half for new company registrations since opening in 2004, with 1,081 new businesses joining between January and June, bringing the total to 7,700. Knight Frank forecasts Dubai's total gross leasable area will reach 137.8 million sqft by 2030, with 15.8 million sqft in new supply. DIFC will add more than 7 million sqft of build-to-rent office space by 2030, while Business Bay will see strong build-to-sell activity, much of it sold off-plan before completion. Abu Dhabi office demand In the UAE capital, office demand reached over 5 million sqft in H1 2025, up 110 per cent year-on-year. Business services accounted for 32 per cent of demand, followed by government entities (9 per cent). Durrani said: 'New rental contracts in Abu Dhabi have been a primary driver of market activity this year, with transaction volumes experiencing a significant peak in January, signalling fresh demand and business expansion in the UAE capital. 'Mirroring Dubai, with occupancy levels at record highs across grade-A stock, limited availability is driving up rents for best-in-class space'. Musaffah led rental growth in Q2 2025 with a 73 per cent quarter-on-quarter rise, followed by Al Bateen (68 per cent) and Al Hisn (19 per cent). Some older districts such as Al Danah (-2 per cent) and Al Nahyan (-7 per cent) saw slight declines due to higher concentrations of secondary stock. James Hodgetts, Partner – Occupier Strategy & Solutions, MEA, said: 'There is good news on the horizon, with a strong pipeline of high-quality developments poised to be welcome additions to the Abu Dhabi office market. 'This new supply is likely to help ease current constraints, offering occupiers greater choice and setting new benchmarks for quality, sustainability and design.' New completions are set to ease supply pressure, including Aldar's HB Tower on Yas Island (238,647 sqft) and the Saas Business Tower on Al Reem Island (129,210 sqft). Shehzad Jamal, Partner – Strategy and Consultancy, MENA, said: 'Demand is expected to remain robust and will likely continue to outpace the delivery of new premium supply for the remainder of the year, fuelling further rental growth in the prime segment across Dubai and Abu Dhabi. 'Pre-leasing activity for the landmark projects scheduled for 2026-2028 will be a key indicator of market sentiment. We expect the performance gap between grade-A, well-located assets and older, secondary stock to widen further as the flight-to-quality trend intensifies in the short-term.'
Arabian Business
34 minutes ago
- Arabian Business
Riyadh hospital capacity lags global average: Report
Saudi Arabia's capital is running below international norms on hospital bed capacity and will need targeted additions in the west, east and south of the city by the end of the decade, according to a new report by Knight Frank. Riyadh's bed density stands at 1.7 per 1,000 people, below both the Saudi average of 1.9 and a global average of 2.9, the consultancy said, citing Ministry of Health (2023) data. The Ministry of Health operates 53 per cent of inpatient facilities across Riyadh Province and accounts for 60 per cent of total inpatient bed capacity. Outpatient care is largely driven by the private sector, which accounts for about 70 per cent of the outpatient market in the province, the report said. Knight Frank's analysis indicates no immediate inpatient bed requirement in Riyadh's northern and central zones. By 2030, the western zone is projected to require 1,500 to 2,000 additional beds, while the eastern and southern zones each are projected to need 1,000 to 1,500 beds. On a longer view, the overall gap equates to about 15,300 beds by 2040 based on the global average of 2.9 beds per 1,000, or about 2,800 based on the Saudi average of 1.9, the report said. Demographics and economic growth are pushing demand higher. Riyadh Province is home to 27 per cent of the Kingdom's population, and its residents are projected to rise from about 9 million in 2023 to 12.5 million by 2040 if a 2 per cent compound annual growth rate is maintained, according to the report. Riyadh City, which accounts for just over 80 per cent of the province's population, is projected to reach about 10.7 million by 2040, Knight Frank said, citing Oxford Economics. The city contributes about 50 per cent of Saudi Arabia's non-oil GDP, according to Invest Saudi, and more than 500 companies had established regional headquarters in Riyadh by the first half of 2024. The report lists a substantial urban pipeline by 2030: approximately 300,000 new homes, 4.6 million square metres of office space, 2.6 million square metres of retail, and about 28,800 hotel keys. For the 2034 FIFA World Cup, eight of 11 new stadiums will be within Riyadh, and logistics expansion includes a 3 million square metre Integrated Logistics Zone offering 50 per cent tax exemption, 100 per cent foreign ownership and no limits on capital repatriation. Insurance coverage is supporting private-sector utilisation. About 51.8 per cent of Riyadh residents aged 15 and above are covered by private health insurance for basic care — the second-highest share in the Kingdom after the Eastern Province at 55.9 per cent — under the Cooperative Health Insurance System, the report said. Between 2015 and 2023, private-sector outpatient and inpatient volumes in the province rose 1.4 times and 1.9 times, respectively. Average visits per person were 2.7 in the private sector versus 1.1 in the public sector. Digital infrastructure is expanding. The Seha Virtual Hospital — described by the report as the world's largest — links more than 150 facilities, offers 29 specialties, and serves over 480,000 patients annually. The HMG group, in collaboration with GE Healthcare, has developed a tele-ICU command centre in Riyadh. On the supply chain side, the NUPCO unified e-commerce procurement platform manages about SAR 49 billion in contracts across 65,000 items. According to the Ministry of Investment, Saudi Arabia's digital health market was valued at SAR 698 million in 2022 and is expected to grow at 25 per cent CAGR to 2030, the report said. The report outlines zonal population trends that underpin service needs. In the western zone, including districts such as Al Suwaidi and Namar, population growth to 2030 and new residential projects are associated with additional demand for beds. In the eastern zone, covering districts such as Ar Rawdah and Al Hamra, growth tied to commercial projects such as Riyadh Industrial Park and Forsan supports the projected requirement for additional inpatient capacity by 2030. The southern zone is projected to see a modest population increase by 2030 and, given current and planned infrastructure, a bed gap is expected to persist. The central zone shows no additional inpatient bed requirement through 2030, according to the report. The report also lists government initiatives to expand private-sector participation through public-private partnerships (PPPs) in Riyadh. Planned PPP projects include long-term care services, home care, dialysis, a 200-bed maternity and children's hospital, upgrades to primary care centres, and rehabilitation centres via a 150-bed facility. A summary chart in the report shows incremental demand for beds across the city by zone, excluding long-term care beds. The northern zone is described as having a strong presence of leading providers addressing current and near-term inpatient demand, with potential for expansion of outpatient services to meet population growth in new communities.
Arabian Business
34 minutes ago
- Arabian Business
UAE and Finland sign MoU to deepen ties in meteorology and polar research
To enhance and strengthen international collaboration, Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, Director-General of the UAE's National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) and President of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), and Professor Petteri Taalas, Director-General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance cooperation in meteorology and polar research. The agreement was formalised during an official visit by an NCM delegation to Helsinki, Finland. The visit marked an important milestone in the strategic partnership between the two countries, particularly in areas of scientific research and technological development. Today, I had the honor of signing an MoU between @ncmuae and @meteorologit represented by Professor Petteri Taalas, Director General of FMI, during an official visit to the Finnish capital, Helsinki. — Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous (@DrAAlMandous) August 12, 2025 UAE, Finland unite for meteorology The newly signed MoU is designed to strengthen institutional collaboration, with a clear focus on the exchange of expertise and best practices in meteorological operations and polar studies. Polar research, a key priority for the UAE, is central to this cooperation. The initiative also aligns with the UAE's Emirates Polar Programme, which envisions the establishment of research laboratories in both the Arctic and Antarctica, reflecting the country's commitment to contributing meaningfully to global scientific advancement. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Al Mandous emphasised the importance of international partnerships in addressing global climate challenges. 'The signing of this MoU with the Finnish Meteorological Institute marks a significant step in strengthening the UAE's scientific and research capabilities in meteorology and polar studies,' said Dr. Al Mandous. 'We remain committed to collaborating with international partners and exchanging knowledge and expertise, guided by the principles of equality and mutual benefit. This collaboration will contribute to a deeper understanding of climate change and support the development of innovative solutions to global environmental challenges. Such efforts will open new avenues for researchers and scientists from both countries and reinforce the UAE's growing role as a key player in global polar research.' The MoU outlines several areas of joint activity, including the integration of FMI's advanced space weather services. This element of the collaboration is expected to enhance capabilities in space weather research while also enabling the use of AI for data analysis and operational forecasting. Broader scientific applications of this cooperation are anticipated to benefit sectors such as agriculture, aviation, maritime navigation, and disaster risk management. During his visit to Finland, Dr. Al Mandous participated in a series of technical meetings and discussions with Finnish experts. These sessions focused on plans to establish UAE research laboratories in polar regions, the development of joint research infrastructure, and mechanisms for the exchange of scientists between the two countries. Further discussions explored support for field research in extreme environments and the launch of collaborative projects aimed at deepening understanding of climate change and its effects on ecosystems and communities. As part of his broader role within the World Meteorological Organisation, Dr. Al Mandous also addressed ongoing reform initiatives within the WMO. He underscored the importance of updating international operational frameworks to better meet the evolving demands of the global meteorological community. He also called for stronger and more sustainable financial support for relevant UN agencies, stressing the need to overcome financial constraints that could hinder critical scientific programs. He concluded that effective international cooperation remains key to ensuring the resilience and progress of meteorological services worldwide. Prof. Taalas welcomed the agreement, expressing strong appreciation for the UAE's commitment to scientific advancement in climate and weather-related fields. 'At FMI, we greatly value our partnership with the UAE, which has demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting scientific research in climate and weather-related fields,' said Prof. Taalas. 'This MoU provides a practical framework for exchanging expertise and launching joint research projects, including polar studies and space weather services, which will enhance global forecasting capabilities and deepen our understanding of climate change. We look forward to a productive and impactful collaboration that benefits the international scientific community as a whole.' This collaboration reflects the strength of bilateral relations between the UAE and Finland and underscores both nations' shared commitment to using science as a tool for sustainable development.
