DUBAI, UAE and COIMBATORE, India, May 13, 2024 – Exterro proudly announces the resounding success of XChange Dubai 2024, a pivotal event in the global journey, hosted at the prestigious Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City. This flagship gathering, the second of its kind this year under the Exterro XChange banner, spanned three dynamic days and attracted over 341 registrations from strategic countries across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region.
Event Highlights:
XChange Dubai 2024 featured a total of 22 immersive sessions. Held at the Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City, the event was elevated by its stunning setting, offering attendees breathtaking views of the Dubai skyline and exclusive social and networking opportunities. From the prestigious houseboat awards evening to expertly curated local entertainment, participants enjoyed luxurious experiences throughout. Noteworthy networking evenings provided unique settings for informal interactions among peers from countries including Algeria, India, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Zimbabwe, and beyond. These gatherings fostered invaluable connections and collaborations among Exterro’s partners, vendors, customers, and industry experts.
The event underscored Exterro’s commitment to strengthening its channel partner network, with the objective of extending its reach and impact in the field of Digital Forensics and Incident Response throughout the region. This strategic gathering closely followed the regional partner day event in Delhi, further enhancing synergies and facilitating in-depth discussions on the future trajectory of digital forensics.
The event was buzzing with excitement as attendees witnessed the profound impact of FTK, Exterro’s flagship product. This release isn’t just about features; it’s about empowering investigators with modern techniques to combat contemporary crime effectively. FTK’s dynamic filtering enables users to dissect vast amounts of data, focusing precisely on what matters most and cutting through the noise. Whether it’s accelerating the review process for CSAM or enhancing capabilities for critical investigations, FTK is revolutionizing how digital forensics investigations are conducted.
Harsh Behl, Vice President of Product Management – DFIR, reflected on the significance of FTK’s impact, stating, “FTK’s dynamic filtering capability isn’t just about introducing new features; it’s about equipping investigators with the tools they need to tackle today’s challenges head-on. FTK’s reliable, scalable processing engine gets more evidence into the hands of examiners in less time, allowing them to dig deeper into their data and solve cases faster. This isn’t just innovation; it’s empowerment.”
Educational Initiatives and Professional Development
The event also unveiled new training programs and certifications, notably the FTK 8 Investigator Certification, aiming to enhance forensic readiness for both technical and non-technical professionals.
Sarah Hargreaves, VP of Global Training at Exterro, highlighted the significance of training for software adoption: “The key to successful software adoption is through training and awareness. It is a privilege to be able to support our customers at events like XChange to discuss workflows and scenarios during training and continue to build our user community.”
Celebrating Partner Success: XChange Awards 2024
A pivotal highlight was the XChange Dubai 2024 Awards evening, where Exterro honored its top partners for their contributions over the past year.
• CREDO Technology Services received the Strategic Project of the Year 2023– Enterprise award for their innovative implementation of FTK Central in a major telecom company.
• Cyanre was awarded the Strategic Project of the Year 2023 – Public Sector for their significant work with a large government account in South Africa.
• MH Service Middle East & India was named the Channel Partner to Watch for 2024, recognized for their promising future potential.
• eSec Forte Technologies was honored with the Above and Beyond Award for their exceptional dedication to business growth and impressive results.
• The commitment and consistency of NX Digital Technology and Cyphy Tech Security were also celebrated, each receiving the Consistent Partner Award for their dependable service and continued success in the Middle East and India.
Garreth Scott, Global Leader – Digital Forensics at Exterro, shared his thoughts on the partner awards ceremony, remarking, “Tonight was a celebration of hard work, victories, and the enduring partnerships that underpin our achievements. Every award tonight recognizes the dedication and innovative spirit of our channel partners. This event embodies the essence of recognizing diligence, triumphs, and the resilient partnerships that drive our success.”
Exterro is intensifying its presence in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, as highlighted at XChange Dubai 2024. This strategic focus is part of Exterro’s ongoing effort to redefine digital forensics and data privacy across these crucial markets.
Garreth commented on the importance of partnerships, “Our focus on building and nurturing partnerships is crucial. These alliances not only enhance our service delivery but also ensure we can meet our collective goals for innovation and customer success in these regions.”
Insightful Leadership and Future Outlook
Shashidhar Angadi, CTO of Exterro, provided insights into the company’s technology roadmap during his keynote session, discussing the strategic direction of Exterro’s innovations and upcoming enhancements.
Bobby Balachandran, CEO at Exterro, commented on the company’s vision, “At Exterro, we are committed to pioneering the future of digital forensics and data privacy. The overwhelming participation and feedback from XChange 2024 in Dubai underscore the critical role our solutions play in the daily operations of our clients, emphasizing our position not just as a software provider but as a partner in innovation and efficiency. The event was also a successful program celebrating its partnerships and alliances which play a crucial role in what we are trying to do for DFIR and Data Privacy landscape in these regions.”
He also encapsulated the company’s commitment, stating, “With FTK, we are not just providing a product but heralding a new era in digital forensics. Our investments in R&D are driving us toward unprecedented levels of efficiency, intelligence, and automation, setting new standards for the industry.”
Networking and Community Building
The event facilitated rich dialogue and shared strategies through panel discussions featuring industry leaders from private and public sectors, enhancing understanding of real-world challenges and solutions in DFIR.
XChange Dubai 2024 was an unparalleled convergence of expertise, technology, and partnership, characterized by deep dives into current trends and future needs of the DFIR community. As Exterro continues to host its series of global XChange events in 2024, the focus now shifts to upcoming gatherings in London, Frankfurt and India, promising further innovation and collaboration across the digital forensics and data privacy landscape.
