Sam GABBAI

Provide strategic leadership and direction for the full spectrum of technology and information security initiatives, ensuring alignment with business objectives and evolving organizational needs. Develop, execute, and sustain comprehensive regional programs that support and advance business and functional strategy, fostering resilience and growth. Engage with senior executives at both global and regional levels, contributing to various boards, committees, panels, and forums to influence decision-making and drive security priorities. Ensure Corporate cybersecurity strategy aligned with local and regional regulatory requirements, while anticipating and adapting to regulatory changes. Enable business success by effectively managing technology and information security risks, controls, and optimizing budget allocation to ensure return on investment. Oversee the monitoring and resolution of risk issues within the information security and technology domain, ensuring timely mitigation and ongoing operational integrity. Lead the delivery of high-performing information security services, ensuring all activities meet or exceed established service level agreements (SLAs). Develop, coordinate, and maintain a comprehensive suite of technology and information security policies, standards, baselines, and procedures that guide organizational security posture. Manage information security incidents and events in close coordination with SMEs ensuring swift response and minimal impact on operations. Champion and drive information security awareness and training initiatives regionally, embedding a proactive culture of security throughout the organization. Stay at the forefront of emerging trends and threats in technology and cybersecurity, leveraging industry collaboration and fostering innovation in security practices. Collaborate with regulatory bodies, lawmakers, and industry councils to influence and contribute to the evolution of regulatory standards.

Directed comprehensive security, cybersecurity, technology risk management, and compliance functions across the organization, ensuring seamless alignment with strategic objectives. Served as a Board Member for the Global IT Division in Luxembourg, providing high-level strategic guidance and oversight on technology and security matters. Chaired the Regional Security Board, acting as a key subject matter expert across multiple high-level committees to influence security policies and initiatives. Governed security practices for Luxembourg-based legal and regulated entities, ensuring strict adherence to regulatory frameworks and industry standards. Led successful compliance audits and assessments, achieving full compliance with critical standards such as PCI-DSS, CSSF-PSF, CNPD, SNB, and FINMA. Directed business continuity planning and disaster recovery efforts, including the execution of Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and Tabletop Exercises, ensuring organizational resilience. Supervised security operations, including threat monitoring and incident response, to ensure swift mitigation and continuous protection from emerging threats.

Designed, implemented and maintained tech & security roadmap in alignment with business objectives. Directed operational security activities: cryptography, identity and access-control, firewall, proxy, web filtering, application security, intrusion mechanisms, system patches, log correlation, code and configuration hardening, mobile security, incident handling and disaster recovery. Successfully achieved technology-related projects in business integration, migration and optimization. Participated in technical security audit for payment card industry, regulation and customer’s assessment.

Diagnosed, rehabilitated and formulated strategic governance and technical expertise on security, technology sustainability and continuity. Executed and reported assessment and audit based on ISO 27001. Participated and facilitated forensics and data analysis

Composed and ensured the implementation of corporate information security strategy and its roadmap. Participated in technical security audit and compliance assessment for VISA, MasterCard and Payment Card Industry. Supervised and coordinated resources workload, performance and objectives

Directed global security operations across corporate headquarters and subsidiaries, leading a team of international security officers to safeguard critical assets. Spearheaded security initiatives for mergers, acquisitions, business integration, and optimization projects, ensuring seamless transitions and risk mitigation. Supervised corporate security governance, overseeing the development and enforcement of security policies, standards, and guidelines. Ensured compliance with international regulations, industry standards, and data privacy laws, including data classification and retention policies. Led operational security efforts, managing firewall protection, intrusion detection, proxy servers, patch management, remote access, and mobile security. Advanced security awareness and controls through the application of industry-recognized frameworks such as CoBIT, CMMI, ISO, NIST, and ITIL. Directed the response to security incidents, crisis recovery, and business continuity planning to maintain operational resilience.

Responsible for network and telecom: routing, switching, firewall, web caching, gatekeeper, wireless, voice, video, high-availability, load-balancing, quality of service, WAN acceleration. Designed, implemented and maintained network architectures: LAN, WAN, MAN, VoIP, VPN, MPLS. Monitored and handled events, incidents and problems up to resolution

Led a team of technical professionals and managed relationships with service providers to ensure seamless operations. Directed day-to-day datacenter operations, ensuring high-quality customer support and rapid issue resolution. Continuously monitored and optimized service performance to meet and exceed contracted Service Level Agreements (SLAs). Ensured uninterrupted service availability and resilience by conducting regular testing and implementing failover strategies.

Managed service and team operations. Delivered comprehensive technical reports, analyzed performance indicators, and recommended strategic improvements. Spearheaded incident management, diagnosing and resolving complex technical issues to minimize downtime and impact on operations. Administered a variety of systems, including Active Directory (AD), DNS, DHCP, FTP, web servers, email, backup, and database platforms. Maintained and supported diverse IT infrastructure, including workstations (Windows NT, 98, 2000), servers (Windows NT, 2000, Novell, Linux), and networking equipment (HP, 3Com, Cisco, Intel).