Abdullah Algaoud

Senior Manager - Intelligence & Response September 2019 - Present
Manager - CDC - Innovation & the Future September 2016 - Present

Accomplishments:
• Security Advisor and Enterprise Security Architect, with a history of managing next-generation IT security posture - risk, compliance, data, and privacy.
• Successfully implemented cyber security R&D in DEWA in collaboration with the University of Sharjah.
• Elected as a Key Member of DEWA’s Future Accelerator Champions.
• Effectively led the patenting process of intellectual property for DEWA in cyber security
• Served as a thought leader with a keen strategic vision whilst delivering across several key technology objectives.

Key Responsibilities:
• Providing thought leadership to manage all aspects of providing real-time awareness, rapid response, and critical analysis to support decision-making in defense of DEWA.
• Commanding implementation of next-generation security solutions - security monitoring, incident response, digital forensics, and threat intelligence.
• Directing all phases of the intelligence cycle - collection, analysis, production and dissemination.
• Driving the Future and Innovation in Cyber Security, as well as building intellectual property for DEWA
• Collating and analyzing data from multiple sources to cluster and track activity of the threats that are under the intelligence requirements.
• Working in collaboration with the Dubai Electronic Security Centre.
• Leveraging the combined use of AI and ML to virtually make DEWA immune from cybersecurity attacks. And enhance the incident response process.
• Heading, mentoring/aiding the team in the collection, analysis, and production of intelligence.
• Part of DEWA’s Silver Crisis management team
• Responsible for award preparation and participation from Information Security department

Joined the organization as Incident Response and Forensics Specialist, moved on upward career trajectories, to merit promotion to the position of Security Monitoring & Operations Manager
Designation Chronology:
• June 2014 - September 2016: Security Monitoring & Operations Manager
• June 2011 - June 2014: Incident Response and Forensics Specialist

Accomplishments:
• Significantly contributed to the advancements in technologies required to continuously improve capabilities around threat detection and mitigation.
• Provided mission, values and thought leadership in developing roadmap and implementation of information security technology projects.

Key Responsibilities:
• Owned the Security Operations Center responsibility and accountability to deliver best-in-class threat analysis and reporting.
• Superintended 3 dynamic teams - Security Monitoring, Threat Intelligence, and Content Filtering. Trained and motivated them to think differently & deliver cutting-edge security solutions.
• Prepared and handled outsourcing RFP to maintain and develop Security Operation Centre (SOC).
• Proficient in open-source intelligence (OSINT) research and common tool sets. Improved team performance with automation using open-source tools.
• Steered a culture of continuous improvement and quality, leveraged evolving new technologies and processes to enhance security capabilities and implement improvements in line with industry best practices.
• Established plans to develop Security Analytics capability, thus facilitating the detection of advanced security threats by combining monitoring data from network devices with big data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML).

Accomplishments and Key Responsibilities as Incident Response and Forensics Specialist (June 2011 - June 2014):
• Contributed as a leader and owner of the incident response plan, ensuring the plan is functional and met the requirements by limiting exposure and recovery time during an incident.
• Establish best-practice methodologies for incident/change/problem management in a global, 24-hour, high-volume, high-availability, critical environment.
• Handled operational incident response activities within specified KPIs and SLAs.
• Managed and implemented an open-source project to enhance du SIRT's Malware Intelligence (SURF-CERT IDS Honeypot).
• Interviewed and evaluated various bidders for the request to improve du SIRT through outsourcing.
• Participated in setting team strategy, and policies, and prepared part of the service catalog.

PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENTS
• August 2006 - March 2008: Network Engineer, Dubai Civil Aviation part of the network team in the IT Department