In a move to expand its footprint in the MEA Region, WatchGuard Technologies has announced the appointment of Rabih Itani as Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa (MEA). The appointment comes at a time of significant growth across the region, with the Middle East cybersecurity market projected to more than double from USD 16.72 billion in 2025 to USD 37.22 billion by 2034 (Market Data Forecast), driven by digital transformation across finance, healthcare, energy, and government sectors.
In this newly created role, Rabih will report to Frederic Saint-Joigny, Vice President EMEA, and will lead WatchGuard’s go-to-market strategy across MEA, focusing on driving revenue growth, expanding the company’s direct presence, and strengthening its channel ecosystem of distributors, MSPs, and resellers. He will also accelerate adoption of WatchGuard’s Unified Security Platform across the region.
“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.”
Rabih is a veteran of the ICT and cybersecurity industry with a pioneering role in helping the MEA region embrace disruptive technologies. Having worked across the full ecosystem — as a customer, integrator, and technology provider — he brings a uniquely well-rounded perspective on the region’s digital transformation and cyber resilience journeys.
Previously, Rabih served as Regional Director at VAD CyberKnight and held pivotal leadership roles at Vectra AI. He spent nearly a decade at Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, leading Security, SD-WAN, and Telco sector initiatives across METNA, including work with MSSPs. Earlier in his career, he spent 13 years at the American University of Beirut directing data communications, security, and operations, followed by technical roles at Extreme Networks and Computer Network Systems UAE — building a deep foundation in ICT and cybersecurity.
“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.”
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