Andhra Pradesh and Mastercard Reinforce Commitment to Cybersecurity through Global Summit in Vizag

• Shri Nara Lokesh, Minister for IT, Panchayat Raj & Rural Development, Andhra Pradesh, to address the Andhra Pradesh Cybersecurity Summit in Fintech Valley, Vizag
• Summit to focus on co-creating effective strategies and solutions to tackle growing cyber threats
• Policymakers, bureaucrats, global experts, and academicians to address over 300 delegates from around the world

Taking the lead on the issue of cybersecurity, the Andhra Pradesh government and Mastercard will organise the Andhra Pradesh Cybersecurity Summit on April 27 and 28 at Fintech Valley, Vizag. The summit will bring together global thought leaders on cybersecurity to create a knowledge pool, build mitigation strategies, and discuss future responses to safeguard countries, organisations, and individuals. This summit is a part of the Memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Government of Andhra Pradesh and Mastercard to implement the best practices on cybersecurity.

With participation from over 300 delegates representing regulatory and law enforcement agencies, think-tanks, startups, consultancies, academia, and technology & cybersecurity companies, the summit will provide an opportunity to learn about emerging cyber threats, network with global leaders, and attain first-hand experience of applied cybersecurity solutions.

The summit highlights the shared vision of the Andhra Pradesh government and Mastercard to create a robust cyber ecosystem, wherein people and businesses can safely transact online without worrying about the safety of their finances, identity, and other personal data. Some of the speakers at the event are Mr. Nara Lokesh, Minister of Information and Technology, Andhra Pradesh; Mr. JA Chowdary, Special Chief Secretary & IT Advisor to the chief minister, Andhra Pradesh; and Ms Rebecca Ledingham, Vice President, Security Decisioning and Products, Mastercard.

Mr. Nara Lokesh, Minister of Information and Technology, Andhra Pradesh, said, “Our vision is to establish Andhra Pradesh as a global fintech innovation hub and cybersecurity is an important aspect of this journey. Our strategic partnership with Mastercard is an important step to devise strategies and solutions in this direction. This will help the state implement best practices on cybersecurity and increase adoption of various digital services.”

Ravi Aurora, Executive Director, Community Relations and Public Policy, Mastercard, said, “Mastercard uses its technology as a force for good and drives partnerships that helps in creation of a digitally empowered cashless society in India. We are honoured to work with the Andhra Pradesh government as we share their vision to build an ecosystem and share learnings that help prevent digital fraud and protect businesses and individuals. We expect that the Andhra Pradesh Cybersecurity Summit will encourage many new initiatives in the cybersecurity space that will also help in the creation of a digitally-empowered cashless society.”

Bringing students and the fintech community together, the Andhra Pradesh government has also organised India's largest cybersecurity hackathon called Cyberthon from April 4 to April 25. The hackathon, which aims to identify probable cyber threats to businesses and the government, has seen the participation of over 2,000 students from across the state. The winners will be awarded on the first day of the summit.

Safety and Security is a fundamental building block of everything Mastercard does. The company’s network is designed to ensure that every person, every payment, and every device is protected. Mastercard uses its digital technologies and security protocols to make payments simpler, faster, and safer for both consumers and merchants. "Mastercard has dedicated more than USD 1 billion to reinforce product design and multiple layers of security."

The full agenda and registration information for the Cybersecurity Summit is available at https://www.apcybersecuritysummit.in/. Online Registrations are open.

About Fintech Valley Vizag 
The Fintech Valley Vizag created by APEITA, Government of Andhra Pradesh, is a self-sustainable, global fintech ecosystem that focuses on converging finance and technology, to create large avenues of growth through industry-enablers, world-class infrastructure, entrepreneurship and innovation. Visit http://www.fintechvalleyvizag.com for more information. Interact with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

About Mastercard
Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry.  Our global payments processing network connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories.  Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone.  Follow us on Twitter @mastercardindia, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.

Mastercard Communications Contact
Latika Taneja, +91 98990 10054
latika.taneja@mastercard.com

Agency Communications Contact
Ashish Kumar, +91 88605 48346
ashish@avian-media.com

Mayuri Dahiya, +918585925739
mayuri@avian-media.com