Saviynt has appointed Kamel Heus as its new Vice President of Sales for the Middle East and Africa (MEA), part of the company’s effort to strengthen its presence in a region experiencing rapid growth in cybersecurity needs. Heus will operate out of Dubai, where he will manage sales operations, renewals, and customer expansion across the MEA territory, including Turkey. His responsibilities will also extend to developing the company’s channel strategy and partner network.
This appointment comes as Saviynt increases its focus on the MEA market, where the rise of AI-driven identity risks coincides with accelerating digital adoption. Heus brings over two decades of experience in enterprise cybersecurity sales, most recently serving as VP of EMEA Identity and Access Management at Thales. His academic background—a PhD in Applied Mathematics and Computing from Université Grenoble Alpes—adds technical depth to his commercial expertise in regional markets.
Pete Angstadt, Saviynt’s Chief Commercial Officer, described the hire as a strategic move designed to accelerate the company’s growth in AI-secure solutions. “Kamel’s deep experience in the region and understanding of its customers, markets and partner ecosystem will be invaluable as we continue to expand our presence. We’re making a long-term investment in MEA, and his appointment is an important step in bringing Saviynt closer to our customers and partners as we help accelerate their AI journey securely,” Angstadt said.
The new executive will prioritize deepening Saviynt’s regional presence, expanding into Saudi Arabia, and growing local hosting capabilities to meet in-region delivery and data residency requirements. His appointment will help Saviynt deepen its relationships with customers and partners, expand its regional capabilities, and help organizations strengthen identity security as cloud, AI, and digital transformation reshape enterprise environments.
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Businesses in the region now face not only the protection of human users but also the risks posed by AI agents interacting with applications and data. Existing identity frameworks often overlook these automated entities, leaving gaps in oversight. Heus’ role shows Saviynt’s commitment to closing these vulnerabilities as AI transforms industries from finance to energy.
Heus noted the market’s evolution. “The Middle East and Africa have become one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity markets in the world, and identity sits right at the center of it, especially as AI agents enter the enterprise.” His initial focus will involve scaling Saviynt’s regional operations while tailoring solutions to local regulatory and service delivery standards.
This expansion aligns with a broader industry trend: companies in the region are rapidly adopting AI tools without implementing equivalent safeguards for automated identities. Saviynt’s Zuma platform is built to meet this need, giving organizations visibility into AI identities and the ability to enforce least-privilege access across their lifecycle. The company’s regional push comes as demand for identity governance grows, driven by both regulatory pressures and the increasing integration of AI into critical business functions.
