ALKHOBAR: The first organizational meeting of the ISACA Dhahran Chapter-in-Formation was hosted recently by Saudi Aramco. ISACA has a membership over 75,000 strong worldwide. Members live and work in more than 160 countries and cover a variety of professional IT-related positions — to name just a few, Information Security (IS) auditor, consultant, educator, IS security professional, regulator, chief information officer and internal auditor. Some are new to the field, others are at middle management levels and still others are in the most senior ranks. They work in nearly all industry categories, including financial and banking, public accounting, government and the public sector, utilities and manufacturing. Previously known as the Information Systems Audit and Control Association, ISACA now goes by its acronym only, to reflect the broad range of IT governance professionals it serves.
ISACA has a large chapter network with more than 175 chapters established in over 70 countries worldwide. The ISACA Dhahran Chapter will be the first Eastern Province arm of this professional organization. There are already ISACA chapters in Jeddah and Riyadh. The Dhahran Chapter is intended to serve industry professionals in major cities in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Region and hopes to interface with other chapters throughout the Middle East.
According to the Arabian Sun, the first meeting of the ISACA Dhahran Chapter-in-Formation drew 25 ISACA members. Nine members were elected for an Organizing Committee including Mohammed A. Al-Qahtani, chairman; Jamal A. Al-Akkad, treasurer; Lawrence F. Capuder, secretary; Hassam S. Karim, meeting speakers chair and Fareed A. Shinwari, communications chair.
“Many of the internal controls relied on by Saudi corporations, government and not-for-profit organizations are IT related controls mainly due to automation of business processes,” said Al-Qahtani, audit manager of Saudi Aramco’s Information Systems Audits Division. “Therefore, IT governance professionals are essential to the success of their employers and clients. Having an ISACA chapter in the Eastern Region is critically important.”
The group is attempting to be a recognized ISACA Chapter by October and to have its first informative dinner meeting by November. The chapter will host meetings, seminars and conferences that will develop the skills of individual IT professionals, as well as introduce best practices to the business community as a whole. Local ISACA members have certifications in many fields, including certifications offered by ISACA, in information systems management, information systems auditing, public accounting, internal auditing, fraud examining and project management.
For information about membership in the ISACA Dhahran Chapter-in-Formation e-mail: [email protected]
More information about ISACA is available through www.isaca.org
