IT expert fears lack of information governance

An international expert in information technology recently told a gathering at the Abu Dhabi Center for Corporate Governance that data breaches are a threat not only to IT but also to technology as a whole.

Azhar Zia-ur-Rehman spoke at seminar on governance of information security that was part of a 2017 series for private and public companies in the United Arab Emirates. 

Mohammed Helal Al-Muhairi, director general of the Abu Dhabi Chamber, said there continues to be increasing interest among businesses in the UAE to use governance programs. The companies believe the programs could help increase their efficiency, productivity and profits, not to mention their economic contributions.

Rehman said many companies don't fully understand what data breaches can do to their businesses and their customers’ data, including marring a company's reputation and thus putting it at risk. He proposed these steps for effective information security: Establish an IT committee that reports to the board of directors, digitize corporate governance, and appoint an information security officer.