Helping vendors
grow revenue
across ME&A.
Vendor revenue growth and startup go-to-market advisory are the core of what I do. Dozens of B2B AI and cybersecurity startups come to me for MVP refinement, sales pitch development, and seed funding via SPV participation or my investor network. 25+ vendors scaled across the Middle East, Turkey and Africa.
threat intel since 2004.
across ME, Turkey, Africa.
implementer & auditor.
PDPL, ISO 27701 & more.
// Vendors scaled across Middle East, Turkey and Africa
Revenue first.
Everything
follows.
across ME&A
cybersecurity revenue
I go by Shenoy. I am a second-generation expatriate who is proud to call the United Arab Emirates home. I have spent my career in this region, which means I understand how enterprise buyers here think, what procurement committees look for, and why relationships still matter more than brochures.
Vendor revenue growth is the first thing people come to me for. Field sales, channel distribution, direct key account acquisition across the Middle East and Africa. reconn operates as an AI-first cybersecurity distributor, and that is the commercial engine behind everything else.
The second thing is startup advisory. Dozens of B2B AI and cybersecurity founders contact me for go-to-market strategy, sales and marketing framework development, growth hacking, and seed funding. I either participate directly in existing rounds or SPVs, or introduce pitches to my SPV network of operators and investors who back early-stage AI and cybersecurity companies.
GRC advisory came out of that naturally. Customers who trusted me on the security side started asking for help with ISO 27001, then ISO 22301, then ISO 42001 as AI governance became a real procurement requirement. NIS2 and DORA added a further layer for European-facing and financial sector clients. I have been doing this work for over a decade.
Training and mentoring is a passion project. I am a PECB Certified Trainer and one of the world's first PECB Certified AI Professionals (CAIP). Hundreds of practitioners come back for one-on-one sessions around AI governance, cybersecurity careers, and certification preparation.
reconn is the commercial vehicle: an AI-first cybersecurity distributor and GRC advisory firm based in Dubai, built to help vendors and organisations navigate what has become a genuinely complicated landscape.
reconn operates as an AI-first cybersecurity distributor and GRC advisory firm. Services span threat intelligence, offensive security, GRC implementation, PECB certification training, and startup go-to-market advisory — all from a single Dubai-based practice with no subcontractors.
Cyble is a leading cyber threat intelligence and digital risk protection platform. Built enterprise relationships with government entities, financial institutions, and large enterprises across the Middle East and Africa — from zero pipeline to a recognised regional presence in under three years.
Simultaneously drove revenue for several early-stage cybersecurity vendors across threat intelligence, network security, GRC, and endpoint categories. Built direct enterprise sales and channel distribution models across META — the same playbook that underpins the reconn model today.
Delivered initial enterprise key account acquisition across the Middle East and Africa for vendors that are established names today. This era built the regional relationships, procurement intelligence, and enterprise sales playbook that every subsequent engagement has drawn from.
Hands-on cybersecurity practitioner covering offensive security, security operations centre work, and early GRC advisory. This technical foundation is what makes the commercial conversations since credible — every vendor pitch, every GRC engagement, and every mentoring session is grounded in real practitioner experience.
One practitioner.
The full framework
stack.
Most organisations need AI governance, information security, privacy, and business continuity working together. Building them as separate projects costs more and produces weaker results.
The first international standard for AI management systems. Gap analysis, AIMS implementation, internal audit preparation, and PECB Lead Auditor and Lead Implementer certification training.
EU AI Act risk-tier classification, high-risk obligation mapping, and NIST AI RMF operationalisation across the Govern, Map, Measure and Manage functions.
ISMS implementation and certification readiness. Often delivered alongside ISO 42001 for organisations wanting a unified AI and information security management posture.
BCMS design, business impact analysis, recovery strategy, and exercise planning. Integrated with ISO 27001 and ISO 42001 where AI systems are operationally critical.
10+ years in data protection. Covers GDPR, UAE PDPL (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021), and Saudi PDPL. PIMS implementation aligned with ISO 27701 across all three jurisdictions.
PECB Certified Trainer delivering ISO 42001, ISO 27001, ISO 22301, ISO 27701, and related standards. Self-study, e-learning, and live cohort formats.
NIS2 compliance for operators of essential services and digital service providers across the EU and UK. Covers governance obligations, incident reporting, supply chain security, and ISO 27001 alignment.
ICT risk management, resilience testing, incident reporting, and third-party risk obligations for financial entities. Aligns with ISO 22301 and ISO 27001 controls.
All delivered
directly. No
middlemen.
Nine distinct service areas. Hover any planet in the system to explore. Every engagement is direct — the practitioner with 20+ years of field experience is the one doing the work.
Built for B2B AI and cybersecurity founders who have strong technology but no clear path to enterprise revenue. MVP refinement, sales pitch development, growth hacking frameworks, and channel strategy. On funding: I either participate directly in your existing round or SPV, or introduce your pitch to my SPV network of operators and investors.
Field sales and marketing execution to build direct revenue and channel distribution. reconn operates as an AI-first cybersecurity distributor across the Middle East, Turkey and Africa. Covers direct key account acquisition, channel partner recruitment and enablement, and the regional go-to-market playbook that government and enterprise buyers respond to.
Gap analysis against ISO/IEC 42001:2023, AI management system (AIMS) design, policy and control development, internal audit preparation, and certification readiness. Delivered standalone or integrated with ISO 27001 for organisations wanting both at once.
PECB-accredited training across ISO 42001, ISO 27001, ISO 22301, ISO 27701, and related programmes. Self-study and e-learning through reconn, and live cohort delivery for corporate groups. Delivered as a PECB Certified Trainer — not a reseller reading a manual. Candidates from the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the UK.
AI system classification under EU AI Act risk tiers, high-risk obligation mapping, and a compliance roadmap aligned with ISO 42001. NIS2 compliance for operators of essential services. DORA readiness for financial entities with ICT risk obligations. Relevant for any organisation serving EU customers or operating regulated financial infrastructure.
ISMS · BCMS · PIMS · AIMS
ISO 27001, ISO 22301, ISO 27701, and ISO 42001 designed to operate as a single integrated management system. One coherent governance posture covering information security, business continuity, privacy, and AI. Not four separate audit exercises with four separate paper trails.
Penetration testing, red team exercises, and adversary simulation delivered by CREST-approved practitioners including Black Hat and DEF CON speakers. External and internal network penetration testing, web application testing, social engineering, red team operations, and post-engagement remediation advisory.
Practitioner-led threat intelligence and digital risk services for government entities, financial institutions, defence organisations, and large corporations. Digital risk protection, brand protection against impersonation, darkweb intelligence, managed takedown of malicious infrastructure, and attack surface management. Operational intelligence — not dashboard subscriptions.
A passion project, not a consulting product. Hundreds of AI and cybersecurity practitioners come back for structured one-on-one sessions. Topics: ISO 42001 and ISO 27001 exam preparation, career transitions into AI governance, GRC practice building, and EU AI Act readiness. Candidates supported across Middle East, Africa, Europe, and UK time zones.
All delivered
directly. No middlemen.
Nine distinct service areas. Every engagement is direct — no subcontracting, no account managers between you and the practitioner.
Startup GTM Advisory & Seed Funding
MVP refinement, sales pitch development, growth hacking, and seed funding via SPV participation or investor network.
Vendor Revenue Growth — ME & Africa
Field sales, channel distribution, and key account acquisition across the Middle East, Turkey and Africa.
ISO 42001 Implementation
Gap analysis, AIMS design, policy development, and audit readiness for ISO/IEC 42001:2023.
PECB Certification Training
Accredited training for ISO 42001, ISO 27001, ISO 22301, ISO 27701. Live and online formats.
EU AI Act, NIS2 & DORA
Risk-tier classification, NIS2 compliance, and DORA ICT resilience for financial entities.
Integrated GRC
ISO 27001, ISO 22301, ISO 27701, and ISO 42001 as one integrated management system.
Offensive Security & Red Team
Penetration testing and adversary simulation by CREST-approved practitioners including Black Hat and DEF CON speakers.
Threat Intelligence & Digital Risk
Digital risk protection, darkweb intelligence, brand protection, and attack surface management.
1-on-1 Mentoring
Private sessions for AI governance, GRC, and cybersecurity practitioners across multiple time zones.
Governance that works.
Not governance that sits in a drawer.
Diagnose before prescribing
Every engagement starts with a gap assessment. No generic templates on day one. The output is a prioritised list of actual gaps against the relevant standard or regulation, tied to your real procurement obligations.
- Structured gap assessment delivered in week one — before any implementation work begins
- Gaps mapped to specific clauses of the relevant standard and your actual audit obligations
- Outputs a prioritised remediation roadmap with effort estimates, not a theoretical checklist
- Assessment doubles as evidence for auditors — work is not duplicated later
Build once, satisfy multiple standards
ISO 42001, ISO 27001, ISO 22301, and GDPR share controls, structures, and audit evidence. Building them together once is more efficient than four separate implementations with four separate paper trails.
- Risk assessment, policy framework, and internal audit programme shared across all standards
- ISO 42001 AIMS maps directly into ISO 27001 Annex A — controls are not duplicated
- GDPR and ISO 27701 share the same data inventory, ROPA, and consent architecture
- One set of management reviews and corrective action procedures, not four separate cycles
Training is part of the implementation
Governance fails when the people responsible for it do not understand it. Certification training for your team is built into the implementation scope. The team that builds the system should be able to run it without me.
- PECB Lead Implementer or Lead Auditor training included for key team members
- Internal awareness sessions aligned to your organisation's specific risk profile
- Training is timed to when the team needs to operate the controls — not front-loaded
- Post-certification mentoring available for exam candidates and new practitioners
You talk to me, not to a team
There are no account managers or subcontractors involved. The practitioner with 20+ years of field experience is the one doing the work, attending the calls, and signing off on deliverables.
- All calls, workshops, and deliverable reviews attended directly — no relay through an account manager
- WhatsApp, email, and calendar access throughout the engagement — not just scheduled slots
- Every deliverable reviewed and signed off by the same person running the engagement
- Post-engagement questions answered without a new contract — most clients come back repeatedly
25+ vendors.
One common thread.
Enterprise procurement in the Middle East and Africa runs on relationships and compliance credentials. Every vendor below needed both to win in the region.
From the
practitioner's
desk.
Long-form field guides on ISO 42001, AI governance, and the standards that enterprise buyers across the Middle East, Africa and Europe increasingly ask for. Published on Orbit by reconn.
Questions
people actually
ask.
If your question is not here, the fastest way to get an answer is to send a message directly.
Shenoy (full name Sandeep Shenoy) is a techno-commercial growth executive, PECB Certified Trainer, and one of the world's first PECB Certified AI Professionals (CAIP). A second-generation expatriate proud to call the UAE home, based in Dubai.
20+ years in cybersecurity and 10+ years each in AI and data protection. He has helped 25+ technology vendors build revenue across the Middle East, Turkey and Africa. He is the founder of reconn, an AI-first cybersecurity distributor and GRC advisory firm based in Dubai.
Yes, regularly. Dozens of B2B AI and cybersecurity startups contact me specifically for go-to-market advisory, help structuring their sales and marketing frameworks, and seed funding conversations. Most have strong technology but no clear path to their first enterprise customers in the region.
What I offer is pattern recognition across 25+ vendors and multiple market cycles. The conversations cover pricing strategy, channel partner selection, compliance positioning, and who the right first customers are. On the funding side, I either participate directly in your existing round or SPV, or introduce your pitch to my SPV network.
The advisory work covers the full stack of GRC frameworks that enterprise and government buyers ask for:
- AI governance and AIMS design under ISO 42001
- Information security management under ISO 27001
- Business continuity management under ISO 22301
- Privacy information management under ISO 27701
- Data protection and GDPR compliance
- EU AI Act risk classification and readiness
- NIS2 Directive compliance for operators of essential services
- DORA readiness for financial entities
- Threat intelligence programme design
- Offensive security and red team services by CREST-approved practitioners
All advisory is delivered directly. The scope is agreed upfront based on a gap assessment.
Most PECB trainers teach the standard. I have lived it. I am a PECB Certified Trainer and one of the world's first PECB Certified AI Professionals (CAIP). I have implemented ISO 42001, ISO 27001, ISO 22301, and ISO 27701 across real organisations in the Middle East and Africa.
- Regional context: How standards are applied in UAE, Saudi, and wider Middle East procurement environments
- Practitioner examples: Every clause grounded in real implementation scenarios and common audit findings
- Direct access: Sessions are one-on-one or small cohort — you talk to me, not a junior instructor
- Post-certification support: Hundreds of past candidates come back with implementation questions
- Full PECB catalogue: ISO 42001, ISO 27001, ISO 22301, ISO 27701, and related programmes
The private mentorship programme supports candidates across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the UK. Most come for:
- Understanding ISO 42001, ISO 27001, ISO 22301, or ISO 27701 in depth before or after the PECB exam
- Navigating a career transition into AI governance, GRC advisory, or cybersecurity
- Preparing for an internal audit or external certification
- Understanding the EU AI Act and NIST AI RMF as a practitioner
- Building a GRC practice or advisory offering from scratch
Sessions are direct conversations, not slide decks. Hundreds of candidates have come back for repeat sessions across multiple years. This is a passion project, not a product line.
reconn delivers practitioner-led threat intelligence and digital risk services directly to end-user organisations. These are managed services built around specific mission requirements, not resold vendor products.
- Digital risk protection: Continuous monitoring for threats targeting your organisation across open, deep, and dark web
- Brand protection: Detection and response to brand impersonation, fake domains, counterfeit social media accounts
- Darkweb intelligence: Monitoring for leaked credentials, stolen data, insider threat indicators
- Managed takedown services: End-to-end takedown of malicious infrastructure and phishing sites
- Attack surface management: Continuous discovery and risk scoring of externally exposed assets
Use the contact form on this page, email hello@shenoy.ai directly, or send a message on WhatsApp at +971 5857 26270. LinkedIn works too. Tell me what you are working on. I respond to every message personally.
If you are a founder looking for go-to-market advisory, mention where you are in the journey and what market you are targeting. If you are a practitioner looking for mentorship, mention which standard or framework you are focused on and your time zone.
Let's talk
governance,
growth.
reconn — solutions, services, advisory and training.
ISO 42001, EU AI Act, NIS2, DORA, vendor revenue growth, offensive security, threat intelligence, startup GTM, seed funding, or 1-on-1 mentoring. Tell me what you are working on. I respond to every message personally.