Sanjiv Cherian
Sanjiv Cherian is a cybersecurity executive and entrepreneur with over 17 years of experience building, scaling, and advising cybersecurity organisations across the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and the broader GCC.
He is the Chief Commercial Officer and co-owner of Microminder Cyber Security (MCS), a CREST-certified, ISO 27001-accredited cybersecurity firm with active operations across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the UK.
MCS serves enterprises, critical infrastructure operators, and regulated industries with services spanning offensive security, managed SOC, OT/ICS security, governance, and incident response.
PERSONAL NARRATIVE
The Journey
Origins
Born and raised in Mumbai, Sanjiv moved to the United Kingdom at the age of 21, spending 19 years in London where he built the foundations of his career in technology and cybersecurity. In November 2024, he relocated to Dubai to lead MCS’s commercial expansion across the GCC.
Career Arc
Sanjiv’s career began in business development within the UK energy sector, working with British Gas, SSE, and EON from 2008 to 2012. He transitioned into cybersecurity through account management and consulting roles at Caretower (2013-2016), Krome Technologies (2016), and A&O IT Group, where he served as Head of Cyber Security Consultancy from 2017 to 2022, managing end-to-end cybersecurity solutions and IT managed services for enterprise clients across multiple verticals.
In February 2022, Sanjiv joined Microminder Cyber Security as CEO, where he scaled the business from a niche consultancy into a multi-million-dollar cybersecurity services firm operating across three geographies. In January 2026, he transitioned to the role of Chief Commercial Officer, owning global revenue, partnerships, and commercial strategy while remaining a 20% co-owner of the business
Education
MBA, Liverpool John Moores University (2010-2011),
specialising in Business Administration and Management.
What Drives Me
Sanjiv operates at the intersection of cybersecurity strategy, commercial execution, and emerging technology. His core belief: security done right becomes a competitive advantage, not a cost centre.
His current focus areas include OT/ICS security for critical national infrastructure across the GCC, the convergence of AI and cybersecurity operations, and building scalable security businesses in high-growth Middle Eastern markets.
TRACK RECORD
Key Achievements
Scaled Microminder Cyber Security from a UK-focused consultancy into a multi-geography, multi-million-dollar cybersecurity services firm with operations in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and UK.
Designed and operationalised large-scale SOC and Fusion Centre models integrating IT, OT, IoT, and cloud security telemetry for Fortune 500 and government-adjacent clients.
Won the "Leaders in Holistic Cyber Protection" award at OT Security First MENA 2026 and served as Lead OT Consulting Partner at the event.
Built and led high-performing teams across penetration testing, DFIR, OT security, governance, risk, and managed security services.
Consistently competed against and won engagements over global consulting firms (Big 4, global SIs) through faster execution, deeper technical capability, and outcome-driven delivery.
Successfully delivered complex cybersecurity programmes for clients across banking, insurance, manufacturing, critical infrastructure, FMCG, real estate, hospitality, and government-aligned entities.
Personal Note
Outside of cybersecurity, Sanjiv is an avid tennis player, competing five times a week in Dubai. He maintains a broad professional and personal network across the GCC and is a regular contributor to executive-level cybersecurity conversations through industry forums, client roundtables, and his growing LinkedIn following of 21,000+ professionals.
- DUBAI TENNIS CLUB
- 21K+ LINKDIN