Ed Sleiman is the Chief Security Advisor for Microsoft in the Middle East, where he provides strategic guidance and support to customers’ cybersecurity and IT executives, as well as boards.

With over 40 years in the IT industry, including 16 years in senior cybersecurity roles, Ed brings a wealth of experience and insight to his position.

As a CISO Advisor, Ed leverages his extensive expertise in cybersecurity leadership, security program management, risk management, data governance, business continuity, data security and privacy, and information security awareness to help Microsoft customers achieve their vision and mission.

He spent a decade as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), where he managed cybersecurity for both the university and the surrounding city.

His efforts also focused on capacity building, with a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion in the cybersecurity field.

Before joining KAUST, Ed worked in security program management and executive management roles at several US based companies, including Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Informobility, Inc., The Orkand Corporation, and CACI among others.

Ed is a frequent keynote speaker, panel moderator, panelist, and review board member at numerous cybersecurity and risk management conferences. He is best known for his pioneering work on The Human Firewall Program™.

Additionally, he has served on advisory boards for leading global cybersecurity companies.

Academically, Ed holds various degrees, culminating in a PhD ABD in Software Engineering from the George Washington University in 2014. He has received five CISO awards and holds over a dozen professional certifications in cybersecurity.

Passionate about cybersecurity knowledge transfer, Ed has taught thousands of professionals throughout his career.