Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) is a global SecurityTech company headquartered in Munich, Germany. Founded in 1852, the company has a workforce of more than 14,000 employees and generated sales of EUR 3.1 billion in the 2024 fiscal year.

A total of 118 subsidiaries and joint ventures across 41 countries ensure customer proximity worldwide.

G+D makes the lives of billions of people more secure. We shape trust in the digital age, with built-in security technology in three segments Digital Security, Financial Platforms and Currency Technology.

1. G+D marks 25 years in the UAE. How has your regional strategy evolved, especially toward digital and secure infrastructure?

Over the past 25 years, G+D’s UAE presence has evolved from a regional office into a strategic hub for the Middle East and Africa, supporting secure and digital infrastructure across banking, telecom, and government sectors. We have expanded from traditional currency technology to include CBDC-ready systems in several African countries, eSIM and SIM-management platforms, e-commerce security, and identity solutions. This evolution reflects the regions’ growing focus on digital transformation, cashless services, and secure, efficient infrastructure, with Dubai Silicon Oasis providing an ideal base for innovation, local talent, and regional operations. Our strategy leverages global expertise while delivering locally tailored solutions to support the MEA region, with a particular focus on advancing the UAE’s long-term digital and economic ambitions.

2. With digital payments and ID systems rising in MEA, how is G+D driving this transformation?

Our company has a long, proven history of transforming itself. Founded over 170 years ago with analogue products, we have evolved in recent decades into a leading security-tech player – one that believes in the enduring value of analogue solutions as well as in their digital counterparts. By strategically leveraging this deep experience, we are driving digital transformation across the MEA region – delivering end-to-end solutions for secure payments, digital identity, and connectivity. In detail, we support central banks with CBDC-ready systems, modernize banknote lifecycles, and provide e-commerce security solutions certified for the region. Our eSIM and SIM-management platforms enable secure, instant digital onboarding for telecom users, while Veridos contributes to next-generation border-control systems. The UAE, in particular, is a unique market due to its young, digitally native population, high smartphone penetration, and strong affinity for fast-forward technology trends. This makes it an ideal environment for implementing innovative solutions, from cashless payments and digital IDs to advanced connectivity platforms, allowing G+D to showcase scalable, future-ready technologies that support the country’s digital and economic ambitions.

3. Having led projects like Egypt’s Currency Hub and Rwanda’s vault, why is MEA a key market for your currency solutions?

The MEA region is a key market for G+D’s currency solutions because it combines rapidly growing economies, increasing demand for secure and efficient cash infrastructure, and ambitious digital transformation initiatives. Projects like Egypt’s Currency Hub and Rwanda’s vault demonstrate how our integrated systems – from banknote production and cash-cycle management to CBDC-ready platforms – help modernize national currency infrastructures. The region perfectly illustrates how many facets payment can have today: that cash still has its right to play, whether due to demographics, infrastructure conditions, or personal preference, but also that digital solutions are essential for any country striving to be truly future-oriented. With many central banks in the region looking to enhance security, efficiency, and trust in both physical and digital currencies, MEA offers significant opportunities to deploy scalable, innovative solutions that strengthen financial ecosystems across the continent.

4. With eSIM adoption growing in the UAE, how do your partnerships with du and Virgin Mobile support the digital-first agenda?

G+D’s partnerships with du and Virgin Mobile UAE play a central role in supporting the country’s digital-first agenda. Since 2018, we have enabled secure eSIM solutions and SIM-management services, allowing hundreds of thousands of users to onboard digitally and access mobile services instantly. Initiatives like du’s free “tourist SIM” at Dubai International Airport demonstrate how our technology simplifies connectivity for residents and visitors alike. By providing scalable, secure, and fully digital solutions, these partnerships help accelerate the UAE’s shift toward seamless, paperless, and technology-driven mobile services.

5. As IoT expands in MEA, what opportunities exist for secure device connectivity, and how is G+D positioned to help enterprises?

Connectivity is set to be one of the defining topics of the coming years. To put this into perspective: in 2019, there were approximately 12 billion connected devices worldwide, and by 2026, this number is expected to exceed 26 billion. This rapid growth highlights the profound impact of digitalization and connectivity – not only in our daily lives but also in business and in the field of M2M (machine-to-machine) communication. And this is of course also valid for the MEA region: secure device connectivity has become essential for enterprises to safeguard data, ensure compliance, and efficiently manage vast device networks. G+D as market leader, currently serving as the world’s largest provider of eSIMs, is well positioned to support this transformation with end-to-end IoT solutions, including secure connectivity, device authentication, and centralized management platforms. Our experience with telecom operators, track-and-trace systems, and full-stack digital solutions allows enterprises to deploy IoT networks confidently, with security and scalability built in from the ground up. By combining global expertise with a local presence in Dubai, G+D helps organizations leverage IoT to drive digital innovation, efficiency, and trust across the region.

6. Regarding sustainability and the UAE Net Zero 2050 Strategy, what initiatives is G+D advancing in banking, telecom, and digital services?

G+D drives sustainability and digital transformation as twin engines for the future – a mindset that aligns perfectly with Dubai and the region. The company has pledged to reach net zero emissions by 2040 and increasingly rely on renewables. Concrete actions include making all payment cards free of virgin plastic by 2030 and offering eco friendly SIM and eSIM solutions designed with recycled materials to reduce plastic and transport emissions. In detail, in the UAE, G+D is advancing sustainability by embedding eco-friendly practices into all of its products and operations. In banking, we provide eco-conscious card materials, while in telecom, our eSIM and digital onboarding solutions reduce paper use and physical logistics. In digital services, secure e-commerce and identity solutions we promote fully paperless workflows. These initiatives align with the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 Strategy and Green Economy vision, combining innovation with measurable reductions in energy consumption and environmental impact across the financial and digital ecosystem.