In conversation with Maya Zakhour, Channel Director, Middle East at Fortinet
What advice would you give to women looking to break into the field of computer technology?
Women have great potential in IT and My advice to women who want to build their career in IT is to genuinely get to know what IT really is. It’s not only about software or hardware engineering and technicalities, it is about understanding the different layers, applications of different technologies, underlying factors that form the backbone of the industry, and of course, the IT channel, and landscape. By keeping track of the latest technology trends and how it will drive businesses and economies of the future, I believe they will start to appreciate that they will be playing a role, big or small in an industry that is transforming businesses. While women prefer more admin related roles and roles in other industries, however if they have an interest in technology, they need to feed that hunger and believe in themselves; because like any other industry, IT offers immense potential for women and offers them the chance to develop and with the right guidance, possibly break the glass ceiling.
What is the greatest transformation in technology you’ve witnessed in your career?
Essentially it’s how fast technology has evolved from basic computing, selling hardware and networks, to IoT, Cloud and Virtual Reality, for example. Today, it’s more of selling a virtual solution that even the customer or the partner would not really touch and this is a great transformation in my opinion. We’re heading into a seamless and connected future, and this is something that will keep evolving.
What are your thoughts on the next transformation in the tech industry?
Technology is like quick silver – and today Cloud and IoT are game changers and will drive the need for a more solutions driven market. I believe, technology is about enabling faster and efficient business processes, and it will continue to transform to adapt to the manner in which businesses and individuals function. The transformation will be bigger, bringing more more and more organisations together. So you may have maybe, for example, a number of government offices providing consolidated services on a single platform – The Smart Dubai initiative is a great example of what the future could be like for the UAE. We are not far from that day when we could have a virtual line which will allow us to call everywhere in the world.
You were an early player in the IT security arena. How would you describe the security market today and what it has been able to accomplish?
The security market has evolved and grown with the increased number of threat vectors and the severity of attacks. From being a good to have, to being the most important component of any IT infrastructure, Security is the top priority for CIOs now. As a company, Fortinet started early and 16 years on we are a billion dollar company, shipping more units than any other vendor worldwide according to IDC Security Appliances Tracker.
Security needs were mainly specific; securing only networks. But today it is more of securing all avenues – from emails, to web gateway, access to the cloud, personal device from your home (BYOD). The Fortinet Security Fabric, we are the only vendor to provide end-to-end network security solutions.
Why is IT security important for businesses today?
Security for any organization is a MUST in today’s environment! Businesses today operate in a complex environment where data is generated faster than the speed of light and mission critical applications are run in real-time. With technologies such as cloud, virtualization, IoT and BYOD becoming a part of business processes, securing applications and networks is crucial. The threat landscape is expanding at a fast pace and organizations have to be up to speed with their security, or risk being exposed to the threats of hackers, and cyber criminals.
What is your most interesting job?
Channel has always been my passion, however, I find vendor management quite interesting as well. The most interesting job today is at Fortinet where I lead the Channel across Middle East. It’s dynamic, demanding, and challenging, and no two days are the same.
Tell us about your leadership style and philosophy.
Leadership for me is leading by example. It’s about giving room for your team to speak up and be part of building the strategy and putting all what it takes to make sure you are a strong team, and are able to deliver. It’s about showing them the path and trusting their capabilities. That’s my style and philosophy in a nutshell.
