Identity security company Saviynt has appointed cybersecurity executive Kamel Heus as its Vice President of Sales for the Middle East and Africa (MEA), including Turkey, in a move aimed at accelerating regional growth.
Heus, who will be based in Dubai, takes charge of Saviynt’s regional sales organization at a time when governments and businesses are increasing investment in cybersecurity amid rapid digitalisation and the adoption of artificial intelligence.
His mandate includes driving new business, customer renewals and expansion, while developing Saviynt’s regional channel strategy and strengthening its network of partners.
The company also plans to expand its local go-to-market capabilities and increase its presence in Saudi Arabia. Local hosting is another priority as customers seek solutions that meet regional delivery and data residency requirements.
Pete Angstadt, Saviynt’s Chief Commercial Officer, said the MEA region offered considerable growth potential as organizations embrace digital transformation and AI.
“Kamel’s deep experience in the region and understanding of its customers, markets and partner ecosystem will be invaluable as we continue to expand our presence,” Angstadt said.
Heus joins Saviynt with 20 years of experience in enterprise cybersecurity sales, having built and managed businesses across the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
His previous roles include senior leadership positions at Thales, Centrify, now part of Delinea, and Sophos. Most recently, he was Vice President, EMEA at Thales, where he headed its Identity and Access Management business across the region.
The new regional sales chief said the cybersecurity market in the Middle East and Africa is expanding rapidly, with identity security becoming increasingly important as AI agents enter corporate environments.
“I’ve spent over a decade building businesses from the ground up in this region, and I’m excited to do it again at Saviynt,” Heus said.
He said the company would focus on strengthening its local presence, developing its partner network and helping organizations manage secure access for both people and AI.
Saviynt is also positioning its Zuma platform to address emerging risks associated with AI agents. The platform provides organizations with visibility into AI identities and supports least-privilege access controls across their lifecycle.
The company operates across sectors including government, banking and financial services, utilities, healthcare, oil and gas and retail.
Heus holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics and Computing from Université Grenoble Alpes in France and has lived in Dubai for more than 10 years.
Saviynt said the appointment will support its efforts to deepen customer and partner relationships and expand its capabilities across the MEA cybersecurity market.
