Huawei, a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices, has announced the appointment of Aloysius Cheang as the inaugural Chief Security Officer (CSO) of Huawei UAE, effective immediately. The creation of a CSO role amplifies Huawei’s commitment to serving customers better by addressing their governance, risk and compliance requirements, privacy and security concerns in a rapidly changing and increasingly digital world.

As a globally recognized cybersecurity expert, Cheang has two decades of international experience in managing and delivering multi-million dollar cybersecurity programs. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the US-based International Information System Security Certification Consortium, also known as (ISC)², the world’s largest IT security organisation specialising in training and professional certifications for cybersecurity professionals.  He is also a Board Director for UK-based cyber leadership think tank, the Centre for Strategic Cyberspace + International Studies.

Cheang is sought-after by numerous international news outlets for his professional perspective, and has provided commentary and opinions to the BBC, Times, Wall Street Journal, ZDNet, ISMG, Xinhua News, SCMP, The Hindu, The Nation, China Times, The Straits Times and ChannelNewsAsia.

John Suffolk, Global Chief Security & Privacy Officer for Huawei said: “Aloysius will play a critical role as we plan to increase our conversation and investment on security. As a company, cybersecurity and privacy protection continue to be top priorities. We are committed to helping the world get the immense benefits from digitization and collectively and ensuring security and privacy is built-in into every products and solutions we develop.”

Speaking on his appointment, Cheang said: “With ambitious and visionary plans for digital transformation, the UAE is setting new standards for the region and indeed the world in how to transition a country into the connected, intelligent era. Cybersecurity has a critical role in safeguarding connected societies, to create a secure and trustworthy intelligent ecosystem that can rely 100 per cent on the capabilities of artificial intelligence, 5G, cloud, and many other cutting-edge technologies. As CSO of Huawei in the UAE, my aim is to help build a digitally secure future for the country in partnership with our customers in the public and private sector, thereby contributing to the admirable vision of the country’s leadership.”

Liu Jiawei, CEO of Huawei UAE, said: “The new role of CSO is one that will help to drive Huawei’s vision, while also enabling us to offer a new level of proficiency to our customers across the UAE. With his impressive accomplishments and proven expertise, Aloysius is the ideal person to take on this position, and to imbue cybersecurity DNA into all aspects of our business. This will enable us to build a safe and secure connected society in the UAE that will enable the development of the digital economy, which will be driven by artificial intelligence, 5G, and cloud.”

Cheang’s most recent role was as Co-Founder and Managing Director for Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, in which he oversaw CSA’s superlative expansion outside of the USA and in the global standardization space. Before his stint with the CSA, he was Worldwide Head of Security with Vodafone Global Enterprise and a Security and Forensic Practice Leader in Singapore with PwC.

An active community leader, Cheang has founded and led several information security associations, and is active in international standardization efforts having been the lead editor for standards such as ISO 27032.

Cheang holds a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the National University of Singapore. He has CISSP and CISA professional certifications, and is a Microsoft MVP Hall of Fame recipient.