Hossain Alshedoki has been with KPMG in Riyadh for nearly six years, where he currently leads the firm’s Cybersecurity and Privacy business for the Energy & Natural Resources sector, as well as the Emerging Technologies Trust & Operational Technologies Security offering. His responsibilities cover both Saudi Arabia and the Levant region.
Building on his deep expertise in the field, KPMG’s senior leadership team has now promoted him to the role of Global Lead for the Internet of Things and Operational Technology. In the function, Alshedoki will work closely with the firm’s teams in 100+ countries, including the Middle East team, to deliver integrated and cross-border projects, develop impactful solutions and innovations, and forge partnerships with technology alliances in the landscape.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the most highly anticipated technology developments in business. By building connected networks of devices, companies can gain better visibility over what is happening in environments, which can speed up decision-making. The world today has over 40 billion IoT devices according to Gartner, with its use cases spanning sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, automotive, telecom, and oil & gas.
Operational technology (OT) meanwhile is the field that ensures IT systems in industrial settings operate efficiently and securely. Operational technology is also considered the backbone of IoT in the manufacturing landscape, also known as the Industrial Internet of Things.
Alshedoki has deep expertise in both areas, having helped organizations around the globe implement IoT and OT, as well as the cybersecurity standards required to do so in a safe manner. His key achievements include designing a $200 million nationwide technology implementation for a leading energy company and developing an IoT and OT strategy for one of the world’s largest energy corporations.
His expertise also covers cybersecurity strategy and architecture for cyber-physical systems in diverse sectors such as petrochemicals in North America, Europe, and the UK; power distribution in South Africa, Australia, and Saudi Arabia; manufacturing in the US, China, and Japan; and mining in Canada and the Middle East.
In his home country of Saudi Arabia, Alshedoki has, according to KPMG, been instrumental in shaping cybersecurity frameworks and guidelines that now guide the Kingdom’s cyber landscape. With his recent appointment, Alshedoki joins an exclusive group of Middle East leaders who serve as global heads of industry practices, service lines, or offerings. KPMG employs nearly 227,000 people across more than 140 countries worldwide.