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Boston Consulting Group Unveils Report on Global Cybersecurity Talent Shortage at Global Cybersecurity Forum 2024

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Boston Consulting Group (BCG), in collaboration with Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF), unveiled its “2024 Global Cybersecurity Workforce Report” at the GCF Annual Meeting 2024. Titled “The Global Cybersecurity Workforce Shortage and Skills Gap: A Threat We Cannot Ignore,” the report highlights a significant global shortfall in cybersecurity professionals despite considerable infrastructure and talent development investments. The GCF Annual Meeting 2024, themed “Advancing Collective Action in Cyberspace,” focuses on enhancing multi-stakeholder collaboration to address key cybersecurity challenges.

Cybersecurity Workforce Crisis

The report highlights that only 72% of cybersecurity roles are currently filled, leaving organizations vulnerable to rising cyber threats. The global cybersecurity workforce stands at 7.1 million professionals, with Asia-Pacific holding the largest share, while Africa faces severe underrepresentation with fewer than 300,000 professionals.

Amidst this workforce shortage, Generative AI (GenAI) is transforming the cybersecurity landscape, with 70% of organizations already incorporating AI into their cybersecurity frameworks. This shift presents both opportunities and challenges. While AI can help address some workforce gaps, it also introduces new complexities. 58% of cybersecurity leaders express concern about AI-enabled adversarial techniques, such as more sophisticated phishing attacks or automated vulnerability exploitation, which could outpace traditional defenses. To address these evolving challenges, 60% of organizations are focused on continuous training and upskilling, aiming to equip their limited workforce with the skills needed to leverage AI effectively while defending against AI-enhanced threats.

Shoaib Yousuf, Managing Director and Partner at BCG emphasized the GCC’s advancements in the face of an increasingly complex cyber threat landscape: “The region’s cybersecurity capabilities have evolved significantly, driven by government initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Cybersecurity Workforce Framework (SCyWF), embedding a strategic focus on capacity building through the recently announced UAE and Qatar national cybersecurity strategies. These initiatives highlight a steadfast commitment to protecting critical infrastructure and safeguarding sensitive data. Through targeted investments, international collaborations, and a proactive planning, the GCC is advancing its cybersecurity landscape and contributing to the evolving standards for a secure global cyberspace. By refining its cybersecurity frameworks and addressing emerging threats head-on, the region is solidifying its position as a global leader in cybersecurity, paving the way for a secure, future-ready digital ecosystem.”

Call to Action: A Roadmap to Success

The report emphasizes the urgent need to attract new talent, especially among underrepresented groups such as women, who comprise just 24% of the cybersecurity workforce globally. To address these challenges and build a future-ready workforce, the report outlines key strategic recommendations:

  • Targeted and strategic outreach to underrepresented groups
  • Embedding cybersecurity into organizational DNA
  • National & academic campaigns for cybersecurity careers
  • Building an inclusive, diverse, and supportive culture
  • Clear career progression and development
  • Adopting skills-based hiring practices
  • Expanding the talent pool with inclusive practices
  • Fostering a culture of lifelong learning
  • Integrating cybersecurity education from the ground up
  • Evolving curriculum to meet industry needs

Vanessa Lyon, Managing Director and Senior Partner at BCG emphasized the importance of collaboration: “To shape the cybersecurity workforce of tomorrow, leaders must collaborate to integrate cybersecurity into education, continuously upskill talent, and create opportunities for underrepresented groups. Building a future-ready workforce means fostering a culture of continuous learning, ensuring we have the skilled defenders to support global security and economic stability in the face of rapidly evolving technologies.”

The “2024 Global Cybersecurity Workforce Report” presented at the GCF Annual Meeting 2024 aligns with the Meeting’s theme of “Advancing Collective Action in Cyberspace.” This collaboration contributes crucial insights into the human capital required to navigate the evolving cybersecurity landscape. The report’s findings and recommendations provide a foundation for addressing key challenges in the cybersecurity domain, from talent shortages to integrating emerging technologies.

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ATERMES and IEC secure Landmark Contract to Deploy AI-Powered Bird Repelling System at Lahore Airport

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A close-up view of ATERMES' SURICATE AI-enabled multi-sensor surveillance camera system, featuring an optical lens and sensor housing.

ATERMES, a French leader in advanced surveillance and security solutions, announces in partnership with The Imperial Electric Company (IEC), the award of a major contract by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) for the deployment of a state-of-the-art Bird Repelling System (BRS) at Lahore International Airport.

This milestone project represents a first-of-its-kind integrated solution combining SURICATE, ATERMES’ advanced AI-enabled multi-sensor surveillance system, with acoustic and laser deterrence technologies. The system delivers a fully automated, intelligent, and environmentally friendly approach to mitigating bird-strike risks; one of aviation’s most persistent safety challenges.

The SURICATE system, developed by ATERMES in France, brings together cutting-edge optronics, embedded AI, and edge computing to continuously monitor airfields, identify potential avian threats in real time, and automatically activate deterrence mechanisms.

Once a bird threat is detected by the system’s deep-learning algorithms, SURICATE autonomously triggers the surrounding acoustic and laser repellers, driving the birds away from critical flight zones such as runways and taxiways.

This unique synergy between AI-based detection and automated multi-modal deterrence marks a turning point in airport security and environmental protection. Unlike traditional manual or time-based repelling systems, the BRS for Lahore Airport operates only when necessary, optimizing energy use and minimizing disturbance to the surrounding ecosystem.

Lionel Thomas, Chairman of ATERMES, stated: “This project is not just about technology; it’s about redefining how airports ensure safety through intelligence. By merging AI, optics, and deterrence, we’re transforming bird control into a predictive, autonomous, and eco-responsible process.”

Sajid Jamal, Executive Director of The Imperial Electric Company, added: “Our partnership with ATERMES reflects Pakistan’s growing commitment to embracing advanced, AI-driven safety systems. Lahore will become the first airport in the region equipped with such an integrated and intelligent Bird Repelling System.”

The project underscores a strong collaboration between France and Pakistan in technological innovation. ATERMES will provide the detection and control systems, while IEC, a key player in Pakistan’s engineering and infrastructure sectors, will oversee integration, installation, and local support. Together, they will ensure the delivery of a robust, scalable, and sustainable system that sets a benchmark for other international airports in the region.

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Ramco Systems Celebrates 20 Years in the Middle East, Unveils Vision for the Future at Milestone Event

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Doubles down on AI-native applications and localized innovation to shape enterprise technology in the region


Ramco Systems, aglobal enterprise software company offering next-generation SaaS-enabled platforms and products, celebrated two decades of powering enterprise transformation in the Middle East. To mark this milestone, Ramco hosted Ramco@20 – Experience That Matters, a full-day event in Dubai designed to showcase its regional journey, highlight cutting-edge innovations, and bring customers and industry leaders together for forward-looking discussions.

The first half of Ramco@20 convened senior HR and payroll leaders from across the region for a thought leadership forum on the future of employee experience. Industry leaders discussed how enterprises in the Middle East are moving beyond traditional HR process optimization toward more intelligent, intuitive, and employee-centric models of workforce management. Conversations explored balancing automation with empathy, using AI thoughtfully, and elevating payroll as a trust-building touchpoint.

The second half welcomed a large gathering of customers across business units – Global Payroll, Aviation MRO, ERP, Services Resource Planning and Logistics – along with partners, and industry influencers, for a celebration honouring the relationships that have defined Ramco’s two-decade journey. Ramco’s leadership unveiled its technology vision: shifting from Systems of Record to Systems of Intelligence through AI-native applications, agentic workflows, and conversational UX. The leadership’s address also emphasized its investments in platform modernization and localized initiatives, while outlining a roadmap to further strengthen Ramco’s focus for the next 20 years.

Abinav Raja, Managing Director, Ramco Systems, said, “The Middle East has been a cornerstone of Ramco’s growth story for two decades and has shaped our thinking in profound ways. The region’s appetite for transformation has inspired us to design solutions that combine global best practices with local relevance. This milestone is built on the trust and partnership of our customers, and our commitment is clear: double down on AI-native, API-first applications that incorporate special features aligned with the region, platform modernization, and customer-centricity. We are shaping the future of enterprise technology with solutions enabling businesses to focus on what truly matters: growth and people.”

Sandesh Bilagi, Chief Operating Officer, Ramco Systems, said, “Our presence in the Middle East has been built on strong partnerships and a commitment to delivering outcomes. This region is not merely a market for us, but also a proving ground for ideas that redefine global enterprise technology.  The presence of all our business units in this region makes the Middle East a key pillar and reflects the confidence our customers have placed in us for twenty years.“

“Our investments in agentic AI, conversational UX, and platform innovation are designed to deliver enterprise applications that are intuitive, secure, scalable and integrate regional nuances,” Bilagi added. “We also focus on customer-focused initiatives like local deployment and training because every digital journey is, at its core, a human journey. The region is setting global benchmarks, and we are proud partners of the next era of enterprise innovation.”

Over the past two decades, Ramco has partnered with leading enterprises across the region, enabling digital transformation through innovative solutions. Its work in the Middle East has been shaped by sectors and functions that demand precision at scale – payroll, aviation, manufacturing, conglomerates, trading, infrastructure, professional services and logistics – giving Ramco an execution depth that continues to define its competitiveness in the region.

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Vertiv and Caterpillar announce Energy Optimization Collaboration to Expand End-to-End Power and Cooling Offerings for AI Data Centers

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Vertiv, a global leader in critical digital infrastructure, and Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT), a global leader in power systems, today announced the signing of a strategic undertaking to collaborate on advanced energy optimization solutions for data centers. This initiative will integrate Vertiv’s power distribution and cooling portfolio with Caterpillar’s, and its subsidiary Solar Turbines’, product and expertise in power generation and CCHP (Combined Cooling, Heat and Power) to deliver pre-designed architectures that simplify deployment, accelerate time-to-power and optimize performance for data center operations.

A Powerful Collaboration:

This collaboration directly addresses the growing demand for on-site energy solutions that deliver reliable power and cooling. Together, the companies are able to offer a fully integrated solution with validated interfaces and performance, enabling customers to accelerate design, installation and deployment.

  • Caterpillar and Solar Turbines will supply power generation solutions, such as natural gas turbines and reciprocating engines, to deliver dependable, scalable electric power and thermal energy for CCHP.
  • Vertiv will provide a complete portfolio of power and cooling solutions and services, packaged as modular, pre-designed blocks, to shorten design cycles and standardize deployment.

The Customer Advantages:

  • Accelerates Time-to-Power – by utilizing predesigned, modular reference architectures to speed up deployment time.
  • Lowers PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) – enables improved energy efficiency and carbon footprint because the system is optimized end-to-end: power, cooling, distribution and dynamic load management, compared to traditional design.
  • Global lifecycle support – the offering is backed by the trusted, global service and support networks of both Vertiv and Caterpillar.

“This collaboration with Caterpillar and Solar Turbines is a cornerstone of our Bring Your Own Power & Cooling (BYOP&C) strategy and aligns seamlessly with our grid-to-chip framework by offering resilient, on-site power generation solutions. This is optimal for customers looking to reduce or eliminate grid dependence,” said Gio Albertazzi, CEO, at Vertiv. “By combining our complementary technologies, portfolios and expertise, we are enabling coordinated integration. Our pre-engineered, interoperability-tested building blocks let customers execute design, build and deploy concurrently, with predictable system performance.”

“As AI-driven workloads continue to accelerate, the demand for robust and scalable power infrastructure and cooling is becoming increasingly critical,” said Jason Kaiser, group president of Caterpillar Power & Energy. “Our collaboration with Vertiv will enable us to deliver integrated, on-site energy solutions that lower PUE and meet customers’ evolving needs.”

This initiative directly addresses the growing demand for on-site energy solutions and offers a coordinated, customer-first approach to solution design and implementation. The Vertiv and Caterpillar Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) represents a pivotal step in further refining this ecosystem, enabling customers to overcome energy constraints and deploy optimized AI centers.

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