Etisalat Buys Cybersecurity Business

Arab telecoms group Etisalat has purchased cybersecurity firm Help AG for an undisclosed price. The operator claimed that the acquisition would create the “strongest” cyber security unit in the region.

Help AG was founded in Germany in 1995 by Christian Lumperda and Soeren Kroh. It was not until 2004 that the firm established a presence in the Middle East. They have since built up a clientele of Arab enterprises served from Help’s offices in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

The press release included the following quote from Salvador Anglada, Chief Business Officer for Etisalat Group.

Help AG has established itself as the region’s trusted security advisor. With cyber security playing a fundamental role in all aspects of digital business today, this acquisition fits perfectly into our strategy of being a key enabler of secure, seamless and effective digital transformation for our customers. We have full trust and confidence that Help AG’s leadership will effectively add value to our security portfolio and amplify the cyber security capabilities of our clients.

The deal shows how some telcos are seeking to diversify their revenues by offering cybersecurity services to their business customers.

Eric Priezkalns
Eric Priezkalns
Eric is the Editor of Commsrisk. Look here for more about the history of Commsrisk and the role played by Eric.

Eric is also the Chief Executive of the Risk & Assurance Group (RAG), a global association of professionals working in risk management and business assurance for communications providers.

Previously Eric was Director of Risk Management for Qatar Telecom and he has worked with Cable & Wireless, T‑Mobile, Sky, Worldcom and other telcos. He was lead author of Revenue Assurance: Expert Opinions for Communications Providers, published by CRC Press. He is a qualified chartered accountant, with degrees in information systems, and in mathematics and philosophy.