Cybersecurity Advisory

Securing Enterprises
Across Every Layer

Yezdi Rabadi  |  CISSP · CCSK · CSLM · CCIO
NSD Cadet · NCIIPC, PMO, Government of India | Empanelled Cybercrime Intervention Officer with Law Enforcement

25+ years translating complex business risks and regulatory demands into measurable security outcomes. Leading Cybersecurity & Privacy, Middle East — partnering with Protiviti. Trusted advisor to boards, regulators, and C-suites across GCC, APAC, and UK markets.

CISSP CCSK ISO 27032 CSLM CCIO NSD Cadet GMP — IIM
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Yezdi Rabadi
Yezdi Rabadi  ·  Dubai, UAE
25+
Years in Cybersecurity
12+
Countries
UAE · KSA · Kuwait · Bahrain · Qatar · Oman
India · USA · UK · Singapore · Australia · NZ
30+
Engagements — GCC
100+ Globally
40+
Team — Hybrid Practice
10+
Key Industry Verticals
About

A Career Built on
Outcomes, Not Reports

A business leader in cybersecurity and risk transformation across the GCC, with a consistent focus on revenue growth, P&L ownership, and building scalable practices that convert market demand into profitable business outcomes. Working closely with CXOs and boards to position cybersecurity not as a cost centre — but as a lever for growth, resilience, and competitive advantage.

With nearly three decades of experience, built and expanded high-impact portfolios across Cybersecurity, GRC, Digital Identity, Data Security, Regulatory Compliance, OT/ICS Security, Security Operations, and Resilience — delivering measurable outcomes in pipeline growth, deal conversion, and long-term client value. The approach combines market insight, commercial discipline, and execution rigour to accelerate both top-line growth and margin performance.

Leading Cybersecurity & Privacy, Middle East — partnering with Protiviti to build and scale the GRC Technology, Digital Identity, and Managed Security practices from inception. Contributed to Protiviti's recognition as an IDC MarketScape GRC Market Leader in 2025, within three years of practice launch.

Empanelled Cybercrime Intervention Officer with law enforcement, lawyers, and judiciary. NSD Cadet under NCIIPC, PMO, Government of India. Committed to information sharing and capacity development for national and regional cybersecurity resilience.

Yezdi Rabadi — Regional Director, Protiviti Middle East
Regional Director  ·  Protiviti Middle East
CISSP  ·  CCSK  ·  ISO 27032 CSLM  ·  CCIO  ·  NSD Cadet
Competencies
Cybersecurity Architecture Framework
Defining and operationalising enterprise security architecture frameworks, ARB governance, secure-by-design standards, reference architectures, and implementation patterns spanning cloud, applications, identity, data, and enterprise platforms.
Data Classification & Protection
Data classification policy design, DLP architecture and implementation, information lifecycle governance, and regulatory-aligned data protection programs. Delivered using BoldnJames, Forcepoint, Titus, McAfee, Symantec, and TrendMicro.
Digital Identity Security
IAM, PAM, SSO, MFA, CIAM, JML process engineering, role engineering, and identity risk metrics. End-to-end implementations for government, free zones, BFSI, and critical infrastructure including air navigation systems.
Zero Trust & Cloud Security — Framework & Strategy
ZTMM builds, CISA ZTM v2 and DoD ZT Reference Architecture assessments, identity-centric segmentation, cloud security architecture across multi-cloud and sovereign cloud environments.
ICS / SCADA Security
Plant-to-enterprise security architecture, ICS/SCADA vulnerability assessments, anomaly detection, safety and reliability-aligned operating models. Delivered across energy, oil & gas, utilities, and railways.
IT / OT / SCADA / ICS — SOC Build & Operations
End-to-end SOC builds from architecture through operational readiness. Use-case catalog authoring, SIEM/SOAR/UEBA tuning, threat intelligence integration, IR playbook development, MDR models, and managed security operations.
My Philosophy

Relevance & Trust as the
Foundation of Growth

Sustainable growth in cybersecurity is built on two things — relevance and trust. Solutions must align directly to what keeps the boardroom awake: regulatory pressure, operational risk, and the pace of digital transformation. Not the other way around.

I believe growth is not driven by selling technologies or capabilities. It is driven by solving business problems that genuinely matter at executive level — and then demonstrating the value delivered in language that boards and C-suites understand and act on.

That philosophy shapes every engagement, every proposal, and every client conversation. Cybersecurity earns its place as a growth lever when it is positioned as a business discipline — not a technical function.

RELEVANCE & TRUST
My Leadership Style

Execution, Accountability
& Predictable Performance

I lead with a strong bias for execution, accountability, and ownership. High-performance teams must be commercially driven, client-focused, and outcome-oriented — not just technically excellent. That distinction determines whether a practice grows or stagnates.

Clear targets, governance cadence, and performance visibility are non-negotiable. Strategy without execution metrics is decoration. I develop leaders who drive growth, manage client relationships, and scale business units with the same commercial fluency they bring to technical delivery.

At the core, leadership is about building a culture where teams are empowered to take ownership, consistently exceed expectations, and create the kind of enduring client relationships that translate into long-term revenue and strategic partnerships — positioning cybersecurity permanently as a business driver.

EXECUTION & OWNERSHIP
What Differentiates My Approach

Structured Growth.
Commercial Precision.

The approach is centred on structured growth, people investment, and commercial execution — applied consistently across every engagement and every market cycle.

Building strong, qualified pipelines with clear conversion strategies and disciplined deal governance that eliminate ambiguity at every stage.
Positioning differentiated, outcome-led offerings that are directly aligned to market demand — not what vendors want to sell.
Shaping high-impact, resilient teams with a leadership pipeline built on trust, accountability, and a culture that sustains performance through change.
Creating repeatable, scalable service lines with strong margin profiles — so growth is not opportunistic but engineered and defensible.
A sharp focus on the numbers that matter — pipeline velocity, win rates, deal size, and profitability — ensuring growth is predictable, measurable, and sustainable.
PIPELINE VELOCITY WIN RATES DEAL SIZE MARGIN PROFILE STRUCTURED GROWTH
Advisory Services

What I Bring
to Your Engagement

Each engagement is scoped to deliver measurable outcomes — not just documentation. Programs span strategy through solution delivery and into managed operations.

01
Cybersecurity Framework
Design and operationalisation of enterprise cybersecurity frameworks aligned to NIST CSF, ISO 27001, SAMA, and sector-specific regulatory mandates. Covers governance structures, control libraries, ARB processes, and secure-by-design implementation patterns.
NIST CSFISO 27001SAMAPDPLARB Governance
02
GRC Transformation
Enterprise risk and compliance platform implementations, maturity assessments, control library design, automated workflows, and executive risk dashboards.
Archer IRMServiceNow
03
Digital Identity Security
IAM, IGA, PAM, SSO, MFA, and CIAM architecture and implementation. Joiners/movers/leavers engineering, privileged access governance, and identity risk assurance programs.
IAM IGAPAMSSOMFACIAM SailPointSaviyntCyberArkBeyondTrustPingOkta
04
SOC Design & Operations
IT and OT Security Operations Center builds from architecture through full operational readiness. Use-case catalog authoring, IR playbook development, threat intelligence integration, and managed detection and response.
IT / OT SOCSIEMSOARThreat IntelligenceIR PlaybooksMDR
05
Zero Trust Security
Zero Trust strategy, roadmap, and architecture across identity-centric, network, and data layers. Assessment and readiness programs, maturity scoring, and ongoing KPI monitoring aligned to leading frameworks.
NIST ZTACISA ZTMM v2DoD ZT Ref ArchForrester ZTX Assessment & ReadinessStrategy & RoadmapMaturity AssessmentMonitoring & KPI
06
Data Protection
Data classification policy design, DLP architecture and implementation, information lifecycle governance, and regulatory-aligned protection programs across structured and unstructured data environments.
BoldnJamesForcepointTitusMcAfeeSymantecTrendMicro
07
OT / ICS Security
Plant-to-enterprise security architecture, ICS/SCADA assessments, anomaly detection, and safety-reliability aligned SOC models. Delivered across energy, oil & gas, utilities, and critical infrastructure.
SCADANozomiTenable OTSentryo
08
Security Architecture & Advisory
Enterprise security architecture governance, ARB leadership, cloud and sovereign security design, secure-by-design frameworks, and regulatory alignment across SAMA, PDPL, ISO 27001, and NIST.
ARBCloud SecuritySAMAPDPLISO 27001NIST
Industry Coverage

Sectors Served Across
GCC, APAC & UK

🏥
Healthcare
📡
Telecom
🏦
Banking & Financial Services
📰
Media & Research
🏛
Government & Ministries
🏢
Public Sector
⚙️
Manufacturing
⚡
Energy & Utilities
🛢
Oil & Gas
🔒
Critical Infrastructure
Signature Achievements

Delivered. Recognized.
Repeatable.

Market Recognition · 2025
IDC MarketScape GRC Market Leader
Contributed to Protiviti's recognition as a Market Leader in the IDC MarketScape for GRC — achieved within three years of targeted practice inception in the GCC.
Industry First · UAE
UAE Utility Sector's First 24×7 OT SOC
Designed, architected, and established the first 24×7 Operational Technology Security Operations Center for the UAE's largest utility organization — integrating diverse control and monitoring technologies with a 150+ ICS/OT/IT delivery team.
Commercial Performance
Multi-Million-Dollar GCC/APAC Programs
Led complex, multi-country cyber transformation and SOC build programs across GCC, APAC, and UK markets — consistently delivered on time, within budget, with measurable security posture improvement.
Individual Recognition
Consistent High-Performance Awards
GBM Hundred Percent Club (2017, 2018, 2020). High Performance Achiever (2017, 2019, 2020). Exceeds All Expectations at TechMahindra ANZ (2015). Professional of the Year — Worldwide Who's Who (2014). Frost & Sullivan Customer Service Leadership Award (2005, 2006).
Publications & Posts

Perspectives on
Security & Leadership

Thoughts shared with the professional community — on identity security, cyber risk, leadership, and the human dimensions of cybersecurity.

01
10 Money-Murdering Mistakes Organisations Make While Implementing Identity & Access Management
Why IAM programmes fail long before the technology does — and what experienced leaders do differently.
Read on LinkedIn
02
Cybersecurity Failure of the Year
An unflinching look at one of the most significant cybersecurity failures — the patterns, the warnings ignored, and the lessons that organisations still refuse to learn.
Read on LinkedIn
03
Moms Invented Zero Trust Before Cybersecurity Did
The principles behind Zero Trust are not new — they are as old as every mother who ever said "I don't care who told you it was okay." A different lens on a serious framework.
Read on LinkedIn
04
Cyberwar Is the New World War — The Front Line Runs Through Every Business, Every Home
The nature of conflict has changed permanently. Understanding what that means for enterprises, governments, and individuals who are already on the front line without knowing it.
Read on LinkedIn
05
Cybersecurity Awareness & Training — Most Programmes Are Not Reducing Risk
Mandatory training clicks boxes. It rarely changes behaviour. A candid assessment of why most cybersecurity awareness programmes fall short and what genuine risk reduction actually requires.
Read on LinkedIn
06
AI Agent Accountability Control Tower for Identity and Access Management (IDAM)
As AI agents proliferate inside enterprise environments, the governance gap in identity management widens. A framework for accountability before it becomes a crisis.
Read on LinkedIn
07
Cybersecurity Awareness as Business DNA — The "Fourth Core"
Security awareness is not a campaign. It is not a quarterly module. It is either embedded into the operating culture of the business — or it is decorative.
Read on LinkedIn
08
The Right Access to the Right Person at the Right Time = IAM + IGA + PAM
The governing principle of identity security has not changed. What has changed is the complexity of the environments in which it must be enforced — and the consequences of getting it wrong.
Read on LinkedIn
09
Who Bears the Cost of GRC Artificial Intelligence Algorithm Fails?
When AI-driven GRC decisions go wrong, accountability does not distribute itself evenly. A sharp look at who carries the risk when the algorithm fails.
Read on LinkedIn
10
Trust by Design: Using AI with GRC into Daily Execution
Governance, risk, and compliance programmes need AI to be a trusted actor — not just a fast one. What it takes to design trustworthy AI into operational GRC workflows.
Read on LinkedIn
11
CyberCrime-as-a-Service — Like It or Not, It Is True
The commoditisation of cybercrime is not a warning — it is an operational reality. A candid breakdown of the CaaS ecosystem and what it means for defenders at every level.
Read on LinkedIn
12
Cybersecurity & GRC Selling in 2026 — A Mindset Shift
AI-enabled adversaries are already outpacing most security and compliance programmes. What needs to change in how organisations approach selling, buying, and prioritising cybersecurity in 2026.
Read on LinkedIn
13
Leading Through Uncertainty: Cybersecurity in the Age of AI
Leadership during a period of AI-driven uncertainty demands more than technical fluency. It demands the ability to govern risk in environments that are fundamentally unpredictable.
Read on LinkedIn
14
We All Talk AI — Cyber Adversaries Have Already Started Walking the Talk
The gap between what organisations say about AI and what threat actors are actually doing with it is closing fast. The question is not whether AI will be weaponised — it already has been.
Read on LinkedIn
15
Eliminating Trust: Why Zero Trust Is the Only Strategy That Truly Holds
Every perimeter eventually fails. Zero Trust does not ask whether to trust — it removes the question entirely. Why it is not a product but a discipline, and why the distinction matters.
Read on LinkedIn
16
Bridging Zero Trust to AI Trust — Underlined Layer
Zero Trust was built for human and machine identities we understood. AI introduces a new category of actor. What the bridge between ZT principles and AI trust architecture needs to look like.
Read on LinkedIn
17
True Future of AI via ML in Cybersecurity Operations Centre
Machine learning inside the SOC is not a future state — it is an operational requirement. What genuine ML integration in cyber operations looks like versus what vendors demonstrate in demos.
Read on LinkedIn
18
Aligning Business Process Through the Archer Platform
GRC platforms succeed when they align to business rhythm, not the other way around. How the Archer platform, properly configured, bridges operational reality and governance intent.
Read on LinkedIn
Reflections from Experience

Beyond the Profession

Occasionally, experience in cybersecurity and leadership produces something more personal — observations about people, choices, and what genuinely matters across a long career.

"
One Call. One Lesson.
A Lifetime Mindset Shift.
What one conversation teaches about moving forward in life — and why the most important lessons are rarely the ones scheduled in a training calendar.
Read on LinkedIn
"
Roots Beneath the Wings
Soil Beneath Ambition
On the relationship between where you come from and how far you can go — and why the two are not opposites but the same force pointing in different directions.
Read on LinkedIn
"
Being Self Rich
With the Wealth You Possess
A reflection on the kind of wealth that does not appear in a balance sheet — and why recognising it is both the hardest and most important leadership skill.
Read on LinkedIn
"
The Difference Between
Cost and Value in Leadership Hiring
Organisations that confuse the cost of a leader with the value they bring make the same mistake twice — once when hiring, and again when they wonder why retention fails.
Read on LinkedIn
Keynote & Speaking

Perspectives Shared
at Global Forums

2024
Leveraging AI to Empower Your Compliance Team
Archer User Group
2023
Overarching Visibility on Governance, Risk & Compliance
Archer User Group
2020
Governing Threat in the New Millennium through Managed CSOC
Cyber Security Summit — Panellist
2019
Predictive Security & Cyber Analysis
Ajman SmartLife, UAE — Keynote Speaker
2019
Cloud Adoption Readiness in GCC
Future IT Summit — Panellist
2015
Endpoint Security Roundtable
La Grillade, Sydney, Australia
Defence
Advances in Quantum Cryptography — Emerging Technologies
National Seminar, Indian Defence Sector
Enquiries

Start a
Conversation

Whether you need a strategic advisory engagement, a platform implementation, a maturity assessment, or a speaking engagement — reach out with the details and I will respond personally.

Email cyber@yezdi.org
Location Dubai, UAE — GCC
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