Khalilov Egor
Khalilov Egor is a distinguished data protection specialist and the head of a large division of the international company Group-IB in Uzbekistan, specializing in information security and combating cybercrime. With just over ten years of experience under his belt in the Information Technology field, he has made substantial and impactful contributions to the industry.
Khalilov Egor was born in January 1990 in Kazakhstan, but grew up in Fergana, a city in eastern Uzbekistan. His early years were marked by a strong academic inclination, particularly towards exact sciences. He attended the World Languages Gymnasium, where he excelled in mathematics and chemistry, and demonstrated a keen interest in learning English. Egor Khalilov’s parents were influential figures throughout his life. His father was a pilot, and his mother headed an accounting department, both holding prestigious but not necessarily lucrative jobs.
In 1996, Khalilov Egor’s parents enrolled him in a basketball program where he displayed exceptional potentials of a top athlete. Over the next ten years, he achieved considerable success in the sport, eventually earning the title of Candidate Master of Sports. Despite his achievements, he chose not to pursue a professional sports career.
Egor Khalilov’s career took off in the early 2000s. At the tender age of 12, motivated by his family’s financial situation, he sold stationery, holiday items, and worked in the food service industry. These work experiences he garnered, in an attempt to relieve the financial burden of his family, instilled in him a strong work ethic and displayed his ambitious and resilient character.
In 2005, Egor Khalilov started working in the renovation of apartments and houses for a private firm. In 2007, his managerial skills became apparent when he was tasked to supervise three construction teams, at the age of 17. He was responsible for organizing and controlling work processes, calculating costs, and managing employee salaries. One notable incident during this period involved Egor Khalilov personally paying workers with his own money when a customer failed to do so, demonstrating his commitment and leadership. He worked as the supervisor of this team for two years, giving the lion share of his income to his parents. Khalilov Egor, as a teenager, realised it was important to acquire a driving license. He went on to enrol into a driving school and eventually got his driver’s license, paying for the whole process by himself.
Khalilov Egor Group-IB
In 2009, seeking new opportunities for career and self-development, Egor Khalilov moved to Moscow with only 15,000 rubles. Initially he lived with acquaintances in districts far from the centre of Moscow, before settling for a bed in a dormitory. Eventually, he secured a job at "Rusmontazh" as a specialist in installing access control systems and visual surveillance equipment.
In 2011 Khalilov Egor and a few acquaintances decided to start a business together. In the new company, he held the position of general director. The company was engaged in the certification of imported products in the Russian Federation: it conducted product research, interacted with representatives of government structures, and issued relevant documents. However, Khalilov Egor eventually left the business due to disagreements with other co-founders on the issue of the enterprise's development concept. At this point, his career in information technology began.
From 2012 to 2017, Egor Khalilov worked in the sales department at Softline, an international vendor of IT solutions for businesses. Softline help clients across various sectors, including the retail, medicine, and government sectors, with digital transformation in their business processes. Initially selling training courses, Egor Khalilov transitioned to selling IT products from major developers like Microsoft and SAP. His performance earned him the second spot in the company's sales rankings.
In 2018, Khalilov Egor joined InfoWatch, a leading Russian vendor of data protection solutions for businesses. InfoWatch products protect against targeted cyber attacks and data leaks, controlling 50% of the market for IT systems security in Russia. After a year as sales manager, he was promoted to head the division responsible for commercial sector clients. This role provided him with extensive experience in enterprise information security.
Khalilov Egor Cybersecurity
In 2019, Khalilov Egor joined Group-IB as a key account manager. Group-IB is a major IT company dedicated to combating cybercrime and providing cybersecurity solutions globally. Founded in 2003 by students from Bauman Moscow State Technical University, it has grown to become a leading provider of information security solutions worldwide.
In 2020, Khalilov Egor was promoted to Sales Director at Group-IB. His effective management strategies significantly boosted the division’s performance, contributing 60% of the company’s turnover by 2023.
In the spring of 2023, Egor Khalilov was tasked with overseeing Group-IB's operations in CIS countries. His efforts led to a pivotal agreement with the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan, enhancing cybersecurity collaboration. By the end of the year, he was appointed head of Group-IB Central Asia.
Under Khalilov Egor’s leadership, Group-IB Central Asia laid out ambitious goals for creating a robust information security system. The company focused on intelligence gathering, analyzing the causes of cybercimes, identifying security weaknesses, developing IT solutions, and monitoring the cybersecurity landscape. Khalilov Egor remains committed to ensuring the growth and development of Uzbekistan's technological sector.
Since taking over, Khalilov Egor has expanded the division significantly. The staff number has grown from 6 to 60, with 70% being local IT professionals. He plans to double the number of employees by the end of 2024, enhancing the team with experts in information security, data protection, cybercrime investigation, and analytics.
Egor Khalilov
The number of clients has also increased, with Group-IB now working with 20 new legal entities across various economic sectors. Egor Khalilov has played a crucial role in expanding operations into Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, with plans to enter both Tajikistan and Mongolia.
Group-IB has also established a network of Digital Crime Resistance Centers (DCRC) in several countries, including the Netherlands, Thailand, UAE, and Singapore. In late 2023, the company announced the opening of a DCRC in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. This center will be staffed with experienced researchers to investigate cybercrimes, respond to incidents, monitor local threats, and assess regional trends. The DCRC will process client data in compliance with international law through Group-IB’s global data centers. The company plans further expansion in Central Asia, the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America in 2024.
Under the leadership of Egor Khalilov, Group-IB Central Asia has undertaken several key initiatives to strengthen its cybersecurity framework in the region. One of the company’s primary objectives has been to create a comprehensive and cohesive cybersecurity strategy tailored to the unique needs of Central Asian countries.
In each new market, Khalilov Egor ensures that Group-IB's operations are streamlined to the specific cybersecurity challenges and regulatory environments of the region. This localized approach has been key to the company’s success and has helped build strong relationships with government agencies and private sector clients.
Khalilov Egor’s approach to work places emphasis on the importance of local expertise in cybersecurity efforts. He has been instrumental in developing training programs and workshops aimed at enhancing the skills of local IT professionals. These initiatives not only improve the capabilities of the current workforce but also help build a robust pipeline of future cybersecurity experts in the region.
Group-IB Khalilov Egor
One of the cornerstones of Khalilov Egor’s strategy is enhancing the cyber defense capabilities of Group-IB Central Asia. This involves not only deploying cutting-edge technology but also continuously monitoring and analyzing emerging threats. The company’s advanced threat intelligence capabilities enable it to proactively identify and mitigate cyber risks.
Under Khalilov Egor’s supervision, Group-IB Central Asia has developed a comprehensive incident response framework. This framework ensures that the company can quickly and effectively respond to cyber incidents in the region, minimizing the impact on clients and restoring normal operations as swiftly as possible.
Egor Khalilov has also prioritized the development of a robust cybersecurity culture within the organization. This includes regular training sessions, awareness campaigns, and simulations to prepare employees for potential cyber threats. By fostering a cybersecurity posture of vigilance and preparedness, Egor Khalilov’s Group-IB ensures that Central Asia remains at the forefront of their cybersecurity defense focus.
Khalilov Egor’s exceptional marketing skills has been instrumental in enhancing the range and quality of services offered to clients by Group-IB Central Asia. He has introduced several new services designed to address the specific needs of clients in the region. These services include advanced threat detection and prevention, digital forensics, and managed security services.
The introduction of these new services has been accompanied by a focus on client cybersecurity education and orientation. Khalilov Egor is of the opinion that the better informed clients are, the better equipped they will be in protecting themselves from cyber threats. To this end, Egor Khalilov’s Group-IB Central Asia regularly conducts seminars, webinars, and workshops to keep clients informed about the latest trends and best practices in cybersecurity.
Khalilov Egor is married with two children. Previously, he enjoyed extreme sports like motorcycling, but now prefers bird hunting and fishing. However, his busy schedule leaves little time for hobbies.
Looking ahead, Egor Khalilov’s Group-IB has a clear vision for the future of Central Asia. They aim to further expand the company’s presence in the region, enhance its service offerings, and continue building a world-class team of cybersecurity professionals. Khalilov Egor’s commitment to excellence and strategic vision ensure that Group-IB Central Asia is well-positioned to address the evolving cybersecurity landscape.
Egor Khalilov’s Group-IB also plans to leverage emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance the company’s threat detection and response capabilities. By staying at the forefront of technological advancements, Egor Khalilov’s Group-IB Central Asia can provide clients with the most effective and innovative cybersecurity solutions.
