Astra Insight is a founder-led cyber security practice working at the intersection of intelligence, regulation, and engineering. We are founder-led and independent, and take no software referral fees from vendors, integrators, or insurers.
A founder-led cyber security practice working with regulated institutions across four markets, organised into seven service disciplines and seven sector practices. Every engagement is led by a senior practitioner whose name appears on the work and who stays in the room from the first conversation through delivery.
We work in regulated industries, with regulated clients, on engagements that frequently appear in court records and regulator filings, never in press releases. Our client list is private; references available on request.
Three commitments that govern how engagements are scoped, staffed, and delivered.
We take no commissions, kickbacks, or rev-share from software vendors, integrators, or insurers. Our tooling recommendations are made strictly on engineering grounds, and our findings are written for the client, not for downstream commercial benefit.
We do not publish a client list, place logos on the website, or use engagements in marketing material. Our reputation is built through professional references and the quality of our published research.
Engagements are not handed down. The partner who agrees the brief is on the engagement through delivery, supervising the work in person and signing every material deliverable.
The practice is led by Abbas Ali Shaikh and Salman Khan. Each carries prior operating experience inside regulated industries, front-line incident response, and engineering-led security teams. The senior team across our four markets is staffed by practitioners with similar backgrounds.
Two decades of cybersecurity leadership across financial services, energy, and the public sector. Leads the practice from Dubai.
Cybersecurity practitioner with deep background in threat research, identity, and cloud security. Leads the firm's research desk and the identity and access practice.
The hardest thing in this field is to stay small enough to be honest, and good enough to be useful. We are still working at it.Abbas Ali Shaikh · Managing Partner
We operate from a single principal office in Dubai, serving regulated institutions across four markets in the GCC, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. One shared bench, one partner on every engagement.
Senior roles open quietly and close quickly. If you are an experienced practitioner, partner, principal, or senior practitioner level, please introduce yourself directly.