AI adoption is accelerating across the Middle East, creating new opportunities for innovation while increasing the need for robust data security, governance and resilience. Organisations must understand where their data resides, how it moves and who can access it before deploying AI at scale.
In a joint interview at LEAP 2026, Tim Pfaelzer, GM and SVP, EMEA, Veeam, and Mena Migally, Regional Vice President, EMEA East, Veeam, discuss why trusted data resilience has become a board-level priority. The executives also examine the risks associated with scaling AI, the strategic value of Veeam’s Securiti AI acquisition and the growing maturity of Saudi Arabia’s technology market.
The conversation explores Veeam’s continued investment in the Kingdom, the importance of partners such as Mindware and AmiViz, and the data protection requirements emerging from Microsoft’s Saudi cloud region.
What does “Trusted Data Resilience for the AI Era” mean in practice, and why should it be a board-level priority?
Tim Pfaelzer: Today’s businesses depend heavily on data. An online retailer, for example, relies almost entirely on data to operate, while a manufacturing company cannot maintain production without access to the right information.
Data has become one of an organisation’s most important assets, which makes protecting it a board-level priority. Losing data can disrupt operations, cost customers and damage trust in the business. Organisations must ensure their data remains safe, secure and available.
What are the biggest security, governance and trust risks organisations face when scaling AI?
Tim Pfaelzer: One of the biggest challenges is ensuring AI systems deliver accurate and trustworthy outputs. Organisations need to provide AI systems with clean, reliable data to receive dependable results.
The average enterprise uses 106 software-as-a-service applications, many of which operate autonomously. Giving these applications excessive privileges or access rights can result in incorrect or potentially harmful AI outcomes. Organisations must therefore protect their data at the source and maintain effective governance over how it is accessed and used.
How does the Securiti AI acquisition strengthen Veeam’s AI readiness and data security capabilities?
Tim Pfaelzer: The acquisition brings together Veeam’s data resilience capabilities with Securiti AI’s expertise in data and AI security. This combination strengthens our position by enabling us to provide a comprehensive resilience layer alongside a data command graph.
The technology gives organisations visibility into where their data is moving, who can access it and how AI is using it. It also allows them to reverse AI-driven actions when necessary. This supports Veeam’s mission to keep customers’ businesses running while helping them scale AI securely.
How has the Middle East’s approach to cyber resilience, cloud and data protection evolved, and where are the biggest opportunities ahead?
Tim Pfaelzer: The Middle East has consistently been at the forefront of adopting emerging technologies, sometimes moving faster than more established markets across EMEA. It is refreshing to see the pace of innovation across the region.
AI was already part of everyday life through smartphones, computers and Microsoft applications before many people fully recognised it. The emergence of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools has expanded its role from supporting daily tasks to enabling planning, decision-making and orchestration.
Saudi Arabia, the wider Middle East and the Gulf remain at the centre of this transformation. The developments taking place across the region are remarkable, and LEAP provides an opportunity to experience that progress first-hand.
What is your message to the global technology community on LEAP’s fifth edition?
Tim Pfaelzer: Anyone who has never attended LEAP should come and experience it. The event lives up to its name by taking a significant leap forward every year. This is my third consecutive visit, and the show’s evolution has been tremendous.
LEAP consistently focuses on the latest technologies and demonstrates how countries, companies and organisations can use innovation to support growth. It also provides an excellent platform for networking with customers, partners and technology leaders. I am always delighted to be here.
What are the biggest data resilience and cybersecurity challenges Saudi organisations face as they accelerate Vision 2030 transformation?
Mena Migally: One of the biggest challenges is the rapid expansion into AI without first establishing the necessary guardrails. Organisations need complete visibility across their underlying data platforms, including who can access the data, how it moves and how it is used.
Addressing these requirements will be critical as Saudi organisations accelerate their Vision 2030 transformation during the generative AI era.
How important is the local partner ecosystem to Veeam’s Saudi growth, particularly through Mindware and AmiViz?
Mena Migally: Veeam continues to expand aggressively in Saudi Arabia by investing in personnel and building a strong local team. However, we cannot scale across the Kingdom without our channel ecosystem.
Our partners translate business requirements into technology solutions and support their adoption. Veeam’s base of more than 1,200 customers reflects the contribution of our entire partner network on the ground.
We will continue developing this ecosystem. Our partnerships with Mindware and AmiViz will help us expand further across the enterprise market and strengthen our reach through security-focused platforms.
What will Microsoft’s Saudi cloud region mean for data protection, resilience and Microsoft 365 adoption?
Mena Migally: Customers will continue migrating to Microsoft’s newly announced data centre region and Microsoft 365 services within the Kingdom. Veeam will protect their mailboxes, files and wider platforms both during and after the migration.
Data protection must move beyond being treated as an afterthought and become part of the foundational architecture supporting an organisation’s most important business data.
What do Veeam’s customer engagements at LEAP reveal about Saudi market maturity and its long-term commitment to the Kingdom?
Mena Migally: Our engagements reveal a tremendous appetite for innovation, expansion and growth. The energy across the event is phenomenal, with organisations actively engaging vendors and solution providers to understand how technology can help them achieve their vision and business priorities.
We enjoy being at LEAP and look forward to continuing our presence in the Kingdom while supporting Saudi customers for many years to come.
What is your message on LEAP’s fifth edition?
Mena Migally: LEAP provides a phenomenal platform for our team in Saudi Arabia. Veeam continues to invest in the region, and the enthusiasm across our team is evident. We look forward to returning every year, from this fifth edition to the tenth edition and well beyond. We hope to see everyone again next year.
Image Credit: Veeam
Source: Tahawul Tech