WatchGuard Expands MEA Footprint with Rabih Itani Appointment as Regional Director

Business

WatchGuard Expands MEA Footprint with Rabih Itani Appointment as Regional Director

WatchGuard Technologies has announced the appointment of Rabih Itani as Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa (MEA), reinforcing its strategy to expand operations across one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity markets globally.

The move comes as the Middle East cybersecurity market is projected to grow from $16.72 billion in 2025 to over $37 billion by 2034, driven by accelerating digital transformation across sectors such as finance, healthcare, energy, and government.

Driving Regional Growth Strategy

In his new role, Itani will report to Frederic Saint-Joigny and lead WatchGuard’s go-to-market strategy across MEA. His responsibilities include:

Expanding the company’s regional presence
Driving revenue growth
Strengthening the channel ecosystem of distributors, MSPs, and resellers
Accelerating adoption of WatchGuard’s Unified Security Platform

Saint-Joigny highlighted MEA as a key growth market, noting that Itani’s regional expertise and leadership experience will play a critical role in scaling operations and deepening partner engagement.

Extensive Cybersecurity and ICT Experience

Itani brings decades of experience across the ICT and cybersecurity landscape, having held leadership roles at companies including CyberKnight and Vectra AI.

He also spent nearly a decade at Aruba, where he led initiatives across security, SD-WAN, and telecom sectors in the METNA region.

Earlier in his career, he worked for 13 years at American University of Beirut, overseeing data communications and security operations, before taking on technical roles at Extreme Networks and Computer Network Systems UAE.

Capitalising on Regional Cybersecurity Demand

Commenting on his appointment, Itani emphasised the growing importance of cybersecurity and digital resilience across MEA, noting strong opportunities to help organisations adopt innovative security solutions while empowering partners to deliver value.

With cyber threats increasing alongside digital adoption, WatchGuard aims to position its Unified Security Platform as a key solution for businesses seeking scalable, integrated protection.

Strengthening MEA Cybersecurity Ecosystem

The appointment reflects WatchGuard’s broader ambition to deepen its presence in MEA by supporting organisations through secure digital transformation, while building a robust partner network to meet rising demand.