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CyBytes

CyBytes

CyberFused can help new cyber companies find the best people in UAE | Anya Shpilman

Sep 21, 2026 · 13 min · 6 segments

Subscribe to CyBytes Newsletter https://cybytes.io/newsletter What does it actually take to build a cybersecurity team in the Middle East? Not every client is a good client. Anya Shpilman founded…

Subscribe to CyBytes Newsletter https://cybytes.io/newsletter What does it actually take to build a cybersecurity team in the Middle East? Not every client is a good client. Anya Shpilman founded CyberFused to specialise in exactly that. We get into how CyberFused works, why Anya moved towards an embedded recruitment model, what happens when a company comes to her with multiple vacancies and why international cybersecurity vendors often struggle when they first start hiring in the GCC. Follow CyBytes LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/company/cybytespodcast<...

Subscribe to CyBytes Newsletter https://cybytes.io/newsletter What does it actually take to build a cybersecurity team in the Middle East? Not every client is a good client. Anya Shpilman founded…

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Speakers: Anya ShpilmanGuestNikHost

Top entities: United Arab Emirates×3 Middle East×4 LinkedIn×2 Chief information security officer×5 Artificial intelligence

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot political

Hiring Mistakes in the Middle East6:03 – 8:34

N

NikHost

6:03

So you talked about vendors, right? Your main kind of clientele.

N

NikHost

6:07

Vendors from all around the world, right? Yeah.

N

NikHost

6:10

Obviously, in the last few years, Dubai has shot up.

N

NikHost

6:13

It just seems to be growing, never seems to be stagnating.

N

NikHost

6:16

It is the way forward, right? Sure.

N

NikHost

6:18

To grow and grow and grow.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

6:19

Because everything is made of money.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

6:20

Yeah.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

6:21

Money grows on palm trees.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

6:23

And

N

NikHost

6:23

Lamborghinis, apparently.

N

NikHost

6:25

And Karak Ti, right?

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

6:26

You know, we laugh about this, but yes.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

6:28

Yeah.

N

NikHost

6:29

So there's money here to be made for a lot of vendors to come here.

N

NikHost

6:32

They're trying to move operations here or even establish new businesses here.

N

NikHost

6:37

So there's a new operation that a vendor in India is trying to build in UAE.

N

NikHost

6:44

And they want to build out their teams here.

N

NikHost

6:46

What are some of the mistakes that you've seen a lot of these vendors make when it comes to hiring in the region?

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

6:53

Okay, so the biggest one is when they try to replicate what they do in the countries where they started the business.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

7:02

Here, it doesn't work like this.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

7:04

We're very, very specific.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

7:06

We do business different here.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

7:08

So this is the biggest mistake.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

7:09

So they either would bring someone from the head office, for example, and be like, okay, like, here you go.

United Arab EmiratesCountryCountry in the Middle East
96%3 mentions
Middle EastAdministrative AreaRegion
88%4 mentions
LinkedInSoftware ApplicationSocial networking service
81%2 mentions
Chief information security officerEntityJob title
73%5 mentions
Artificial intelligenceEntityProfessional field
65%1 mention
IndiaCountryCountry in South Asia
58%2 mentions
EuropeContinentContinent
46%1 mention
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
46%1 mention
Financial technologyEntity
35%1 mention
DubaiCityCity in the United Arab Emirates
27%1 mention
LamborghiniCompanyManufacturing company
19%1 mention
SubstackSoftware ApplicationWebsite
12%2 mentions
MicrosoftCompanyTechnology company
4%1 mention

Business-to-business marketingMarketing
Cybersecurity workforceTechnology > Cybersecurity
RecruitmentBusiness
Professional services firmsBusiness > Entrepreneurship
Specialist recruitment agenciesBusiness > Recruitment
Cybersecurity talent placementBusiness > Recruitment > Specialist recruitment agencies
Cybersecurity recruitment agency operationsBusiness > Entrepreneurship > Professional services firms
Security operations center staffingTechnology > Cybersecurity > Cybersecurity workforce
Hiring SOC managers and cybersecurity specialistsTechnology > Cybersecurity > Cybersecurity workforce > Security operations center staffing
Dubai business expansionGeography > Middle East > United Arab Emirates
Professional services positioningMarketing > Business-to-business marketing
Cybersecurity agency brandingMarketing > Business-to-business marketing > Professional services positioning
CybersecurityTechnology
United Arab EmiratesGeography > Middle East
Technology
Business
EntrepreneurshipBusiness
Marketing
Geography
Middle EastGeography

Hiring Mistakes in the Middle East6:03 – 8:34

N

NikHost

6:03

So you talked about vendors, right? Your main kind of clientele.

N

NikHost

6:07

Vendors from all around the world, right? Yeah.

N

NikHost

6:10

Obviously, in the last few years, Dubai has shot up.

N

NikHost

6:13

It just seems to be growing, never seems to be stagnating.

N

NikHost

6:16

It is the way forward, right? Sure.

N

NikHost

6:18

To grow and grow and grow.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

6:19

Because everything is made of money.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

6:20

Yeah.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

6:21

Money grows on palm trees.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

6:23

And

N

NikHost

6:23

Lamborghinis, apparently.

N

NikHost

6:25

And Karak Ti, right?

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

6:26

You know, we laugh about this, but yes.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

6:28

Yeah.

N

NikHost

6:29

So there's money here to be made for a lot of vendors to come here.

N

NikHost

6:32

They're trying to move operations here or even establish new businesses here.

N

NikHost

6:37

So there's a new operation that a vendor in India is trying to build in UAE.

N

NikHost

6:44

And they want to build out their teams here.

N

NikHost

6:46

What are some of the mistakes that you've seen a lot of these vendors make when it comes to hiring in the region?

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

6:53

Okay, so the biggest one is when they try to replicate what they do in the countries where they started the business.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

7:02

Here, it doesn't work like this.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

7:04

We're very, very specific.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

7:06

We do business different here.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

7:08

So this is the biggest mistake.

A

Anya ShpilmanGuest

7:09

So they either would bring someone from the head office, for example, and be like, okay, like, here you go.

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