Natalya Kaspersky, the CEO of InfoWatch Group, speaks to Channel Post about the company’s offerings, channel strategies, regional technology trends and plans for GITEX 2014
What technology trends have you seen in the Middle East and Africa market?
The MENA region has witnessed different trends technology wise. One of the key trends is the potential of context aware computing to fundamentally change how we interact with our devices. Also, home and workplace transformation has created a new common standard that can enhance employee productivity by integrating audio-visual conferences, text notepads, and whiteboards into a real-time web-based multimedia space.
With the explosion of connections, we see Named Data Networking (NDN), or Content-based networking trend growing even further in the region to allow information to be communicated by names rather than host addresses. Another key trend is security that will be critical for business growth and adaption to the new internet, with companies likely to increase the deployment of data security solutions for mobile devices to protect personal and corporate information.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend poses a huge information security threat to companies; so we believe it will evolve to CYOD (Choose Your Own Device, from those few offered to employees by their company) and fuel the market of data protection for mobile. Another strong security trend is the rise in the number of targeted attacks on enterprises.
This is a new generation of very sophisticated malware developed to target specific organizations to steal confidential data or money from corporate accounts. It can damage corporate reputation or even ruin the whole business. This trend brings to life a new type of targeted attack protection solutions.
How has the regional ICT market grown over the past few years?
According to IT research firm, IDC, the Middle East’s IT spend is projected to grow 7.3 per cent from 2013 to $32 billion in 2014. Also, Cisco found that the MENA region is set to post the world’s strongest mobile data traffic growth for at 77 per cent CAGR to 2017.
IT organizations across the region need to be prepared for the Internet of Everything (IOE), and big changes need to take place to make sense of the increasing and varied types of data coming in from devices ranging from smartphone applications to information generated by smart cities infrastructure.
Which technologies do you think are the most-wanted technologies in the MEA region?
Smartphones and tablets followed closely by security would be the most-wanted technologies in the region. We see SMBs now opting for solutions such as endpoint security, next generation firewall, and core network security. While consumers are looking for basic protection apps, SMBs are looking to have endpoint security and essential network security products.
Enterprises on the other hand have demand for solutions such as identity management, web monitoring and control, data leakage prevention, mobile security and targeted attack detection solutions.
What do you plan to achieve through GITEX Technology Week and GITEX Shopper this year? Can you please share your plans?
As our business lies in B2B, we actively invest in good channel partners in the Gulf region to build a reliable partner chain. Therefore, we see GITEX Technology Week a great opportunity for us to boost our regional representation, build successful partnerships in the region and promote our DLP solutions.
We will take part in the panel discussion “Data Security- New Threats and New Tech” and we will promote our solutions on two partner stands of Scope ME and Fakhro Electronics within GITEX Technology Week. We will also organize two business dinners for InfoWatch partners and customers in the region.
Do you plan to launch any new products or technologies at GITEX Technology Week and GITX Shopper this year?
We are planning to launch our new solutions in the field of mobile security and targeted attack detection. We will also promote our flagship solutions launched earlier this year.
These solutions include InfoWatch EndPoint Security (protection of enterprise endpoints from a variety of threats, latest version with reliable data protection in the cloud), and InfoWatch Traffic Monitor Enterprise 5.0 version with new user interface and specifically aimed at solving enterprise business tasks (a comprehensive solution for confidential data protection from leaks as well as forcompany protection against internal threats).
What’s going to be your theme at GITEX Technology Week this year?
Our main theme at Gitex Technology week is security being the hottest topic worldwide now more than ever. The number of security incidents grows like an avalanche. According to global analysts, more than 40 000 unique targeted attacks were registered in 2013.
What sort of channel strategies are you going to follow this year?
We have an extended program for partner technical education: InfoWatch technical experts regularly come to ME countries to educate partner technical teams providing them with the deepest knowledge and expertise in data leakage prevention and other information security areas and thus with extra competitive advantage in terms of selling IT security solutions. All our partners undergo InfoWatch certification and so get the status of InfoWatch certified partners.
Also, InfoWatch organizes special channel events in the region and actively takes part in events held by our partners. We stand for active cooperation with the channel and contribute our budget, resources and expertise into establishing reliable partner chain in Middle East.
Do you have any specific engagement for your channel community this year at GITEX?
We will organize a business dinner for InfoWatch partners at Gitex. Our top management will present InfoWatch strategy for the Gulf region, discuss InfoWatch partnership program with participants and communicate with partners in informal discussions.
