So, over we headed to the Riyadh Front expo center where the LEAP conference-exhibition was taking place. While here it looks like they’re doing some serious investing in cyber-startups, and they’re very proud of the first (six) national cyber-companies (affectionately referred to as “our unicorns”), whose capitalization has already exceeded a billion U.S.

But let me spell it out anyway :) -> Diving into the turbid waves of the digital era without cybersecurity/immunity is not recommended. And that includes change in the cyber-digital-technological sphere too – so I probably don’t need to spell out why were here in the capital. Indeed, the very conservative Saudi Arabia, a country where strict traditions of old have lasted well into modern times, has started to see change.

For example: check out these two pics from 2013 of the audience of an event at Riyadh’s King Saud University – can you spot a single female?! -> Such freedom and equality could only be dreamed of earlier. Second, on the front rows of the LEAP event there were sat… women! No trains yet, but things are looking good -> Today there are overhead transportation lines. First of all, public transportation is being built! Earlier there was no such thing: Riyadh was strictly car-only. Changes have been made, and though they’re not big changes, they are noticeable. To be honest, back then I was a little amazed by the boldness of such statements, but now I see that wasn’t just talk. What I remember most from my two first trips to Saudi was that practically all the folks I’d meet would say the same thing: without a serious transformation in the country there’s no future for it in the modern world. Alas, it was so busy… – zero nice photos too. As per – the business schedule was a full and busy one, including matters connected with the imminent opening of our local office here (which I’ll get to in another post). This year – zero micro-tourisms not even a nano-tourism. I’d been to the city before – in 20 – and both times for conferences, speeches and meetings, and with hardly any micro-tourisms. But that port of call was sunny Riyadh, which sure made a welcome change to the sub-zero temperatures and daily snow that’s been falling in Moscow since November!…

My first international business trip of the year was as modest as it could get – with just a single port of call.

Eugene kaspersky blog