Kaspersky has announced receiving their Regional Headquarters License (RHQ) in Saudi Arabia from the Kingdom’s Ministry of Investment. This license reflects Kaspersky’s commitment towards elevating the cybersecurity competitiveness within economic sectors of Saudi Arabia and is a step forward in strengthening the company’s footprint in the Kingdom.
The main goal of the Regional Headquarters is to provide comprehensive support for the operational activities of the Kaspersky group of companies in the MENA and ensuring sustainable business development in KSA and in the region with a focus on strategic development, threat research and analysis, and the delivery of region-tailored services like Managed Detection and Response (MDR), powered by Saudi-based SOC, and ICS CERT.
Operating in 200 countries and territories with 34 offices in more than 30 countries, Kaspersky achieved a milestone in 2022 by opening a new office in Riyadh and adding Saudi Arabia to its ever-expanding worldwide network of offices. This was followed in 2023 by Kaspersky’s first Transparency Center in Riyadh, to serve the entire Middle East region.
With several ongoing and planned initiatives to ensure future readiness with a digital-first approach, adoption of technologies like 5G, IoT and artificial intelligence by the Kingdom will potentially increase cybercriminal interest for targeted attacks and cyberthreats. Adding to the efforts of the Kingdom to build a strong cybersecurity infrastructure, Kaspersky launched the Cyber Generation training and internship program in Saudi Arabia in 2023. The educational program accommodates young talent both with and without a background in IT or cybersecurity and is aimed at increasing cybersecurity awareness, and enabling skills and knowledge sharing to defend against evolving cyberthreats.
Andrey Efremov, Kaspersky’s Chief Business Development Officer, said: “This is a significant milestone on our roadmap for growth in Saudi Arabia, as the Kingdom is swiftly transforming into an economic hub for the region. I’m very proud that we are a part of this transformation, and that our business in the Kingdom is developing successfully. This step will further enhance our abilities to better serve customers, partners, and organizations across the region, leveraging the unparalleled capabilities of our comprehensive portfolio of best-in-class, award-winning cybersecurity solutions to set higher industry benchmarks.”