Black Hat MEA: Saudi Vision 2030 fuels surge in cyber security innovation

At Black Hat MEA in Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s rapid digital transformation took centre stage, with mega-projects under Saudi Vision 2030 among the most advanced developments globally.

For international cyber security companies, the opportunity is immense, yet navigating the Saudi market requires more than cutting-edge technology. It demands long-term trust, local engagement and deep understanding of the country’s unique needs.

“What sets us apart, because we are one of the most successful providers here, is our approach to engage the broader community,” said Pete Harteveld, CEO of Exabeam. “Whether that’s partners or recent college graduates, it’s about educating them not just on our capabilities, but on cyber security as a whole.”

With Saudi Arabia adopting new technologies at an accelerated pace, traditional learning and adoption cycles are being outpaced. “First and foremost, we need to be good stewards of enhancing skills and capabilities for cyber security professionals in the Kingdom,” Harteveld noted.

Exabeam’s strategy is built on flexibility and augmentation, allowing organisations to integrate artificial intelligence (AI)-driven threat detection into existing on-premise security systems without costly replacements. “You can’t just rip everything out and start fresh. Our ability to augment existing SIEM [security information and event management] solutions gives customers a better path and partners a better path to keep pace,” he said.

This strategy has underpinned Exabeam’s strong growth in the region. Harteveld revealed that the company achieved 21% growth in Saudi Arabia from 2024 to 2025, with expectations of similarly high double-digit growth in 2026. “More than 90% of our business is driven through partners worldwide, and that’s consistent here in the Kingdom. Engaging the local community with sales, support, engineering and product resources is critical to our success,” he said.

“What sets us apart is our approach to engage the broader community. Whether that’s partners or recent college graduates, it’s about educating them not just on our capabilities, but on cyber security as a whole”

Pete Harteveld, Exabeam

The company’s commitment to the Kingdom extends beyond commercial growth. Exabeam recently launched its Customer Innovation Center in Riyadh, designed to showcase cutting-edge AI-driven cyber security solutions for IT, operational technology (OT) and internet of things (IoT) environments.

“The Innovation Center is a focal point for regional engagement, for prospects, customers, partners and even university students. It’s about education, collaboration and innovation in a space tailored to the local market,” said Harteveld.

Looking at the broader Middle East, Harteveld highlighted the evolving role of security operations centre (SOC) teams and the adoption of AI. “A key barrier has been comfort with cloud-based solutions. As hybrid environments mature, SOC teams will adopt AI more aggressively, improving efficiency and productivity across security operations,” he said.

As Saudi Arabia drives forward with Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s cyber security ecosystem is rapidly modernising, offering a model for other regions worldwide. For global cyber providers, the message from leaders like Harteveld is clear: success requires technology excellence, local partnerships and sustained investment in the human capital that will secure the Kingdom’s digital future.