27 Apr WatchGuard expands MEA footprint with new regional director appointment

WatchGuard Technologies has announced the appointment of Rabih Itani as Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa (MEA), as the company moves to strengthen its presence in one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity markets globally.

The expansion comes amid significant regional growth, with the Middle East cybersecurity market expected to more than double from USD 16.72 billion in 2025 to USD 37.22 billion by 2034, according to Market Data Forecast. The surge is being driven by rapid digital transformation across sectors, including finance, healthcare, energy and government.

In the newly created role, Itani will report to Frederic Saint-Joigny, Vice President EMEA, and oversee WatchGuard’s go-to-market strategy across MEA. His remit includes driving revenue growth, expanding the company’s direct presence, strengthening its network of distributors, managed service providers (MSPs) and resellers, and accelerating adoption of the firm’s Unified Security Platform.

“Rabih brings the perfect combination of regional expertise and industry experience to drive WatchGuard’s growth in the Middle East and Africa,” said Fred Saint-Joigny, Vice President EMEA. “MEA is one of our most significant growth markets. His deep knowledge of the local landscape and proven leadership across the ICT and cybersecurity ecosystem will be invaluable as we expand our operations, engage partners more directly, and support customers at scale.”

Itani brings extensive experience across the ICT and cybersecurity landscape, having worked as a customer, integrator and technology provider. His background offers a broad perspective on digital transformation and cyber resilience across the region.

He previously served as Regional Director at VAD CyberKnight and held senior leadership roles at Vectra AI. Before that, he spent nearly a decade at Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, leading security, SD-WAN and telecom sector initiatives across the METNA region. Earlier in his career, he spent 13 years at the American University of Beirut, where he directed data communications, security and operations, before moving into technical roles at Extreme Networks and Computer Network Systems UAE.

“I’m excited to join WatchGuard at a time when cybersecurity and digital transformation are top priorities for businesses across MEA,” said Rabih Itani. “There is tremendous potential to help organisations adopt innovative security solutions while empowering the channel ecosystem to deliver real value. I look forward to leading this expansion and supporting our partners and customers with WatchGuard’s industry-leading Unified Security Platform.”