Homegrown cyber firm CPX partners with consulting arm of KPMG

Within six months of its launch, UAE-focused cybersecurity services company CPX has inked a partnership with KPMG, one of the region’s leading cybersecurity consultancies.

“We are proud to partner with one of the largest global professional services firms in the region to implement advanced cyber solutions and services in the UAE,” said Khaled Al Melhi, the CEO of CPX and an industry veteran with over 15 years of experience in leading technology organisations.

Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, CPX launched earlier this year as a spin-off from D14 with around 300 employees, and aims to become an Emirati-groomed alternative to the large international cybersecurity providers.

CPX helps both businesses and government entities with protecting their frontiers from the increasing number of cyber threats in the UAE and internationally. Its services range from cyber advisory and assessments to technological solutions and managed services.

“Every organisation, be it private or public, has embraced a connected digital future. CPX partners with clients to help limit their exposure to cyber threats. We deliver on our promise to give clients peace of mind so that they can focus on what they do best,” said Al Melhi.

Now working with KPMG, CPX plans to achieve synergies in areas such as business development (joint marketing campaigns and joint bids for contracts), thought leadership (co-creating thought leadership and co-hosting events), capability development (knowledge sharing) and project delivery (collaborating on projects).

“We’ll be working together closely to help UAE organisations to strengthen their cyber resilience,” said Al Melhi.

The agreement comes hot on the heels of CPX being named one of the key external partners for the UAE’s Cyber Security Council, and at a time of booming interest in building cyber capabilities.

According to KPMG’s most recent ‘CEO Outlook’ study, CEO’s see cyber security as the number one threat to their company’s growth over the next three years; a significant increase from fifth place since 2020, and ahead of regulatory, tax and supply chain risks.

Practising what it preaches, KPMG has been strengthening its cyber capabilities in the Middle East through team hires and alliances (cementing its position as one of top cyber consulting firms), with the CPX partnership the latest in a long line of such initiatives.

Nader Haffar, Chairman and CEO of KPMG Lower Gulf, said: “Our collaboration will strengthen our joint market positioning and enhance both our service portfolios through the work of a team of experts in cyber-consulting, system engineering, cloud services and cybersecurity technology.”