BlackBerry has expanded its Asia-Pacific Secure Communications headquarters in Malaysia to three locations: Cyberjaya, central Kuala Lumpur, and Mont Kiara.

The expansion includes a new sales and marketing office and a regional support centre with over 50 technical experts, providing 24/7 support across the Asia-Pacific region.

This move follows the launch of the MCMC and BlackBerry Cybersecurity Center of Excellence in Cyberjaya in March 2024.

Malaysia’s communications regulator, MCMC, welcomed the expansion as a catalyst for deeper public–private collaboration in cybersecurity.

🔗 Source: BlackBerry Limited

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ BlackBerry’s expansion timing aligns with APAC becoming a global cyber threat epicenter

BlackBerry’s decision to significantly expand its APAC operations comes as the region faces unprecedented cybersecurity challenges.

APAC experienced a 134% increase in cyber incidents from 2020 to 2024, with the region now accounting for over one-third of all global cyberattacks in 2024 12. This surge has created massive demand for cybersecurity services, with 71% of organizations planning to increase their cybersecurity spending by 2026 3.

The threat landscape is particularly sophisticated, with 63% of suspected nation-state-sponsored cyber operations originating from APAC 1. This has driven cyber claims notifications up by 22% from 2023, indicating not just more frequent attacks but more successful ones requiring insurance payouts.

BlackBerry’s establishment of a 24/7 Regional Support Centre with over 50 technical experts directly addresses this urgent need for round-the-clock cybersecurity monitoring and response capabilities across multiple time zones.

2️⃣ Malaysia’s government-backed cybersecurity strategy creates ideal conditions for international expansion

Malaysia’s substantial financial commitments to cybersecurity and AI development have created a supportive ecosystem for companies like BlackBerry.

The government allocated RM 50 million specifically for AI and cybersecurity research, complemented by an additional RM 20 million for AI framework development. These investments are driving Malaysia’s AI market toward a projected value of USD 1.06 billion by 2025, with the digital economy targeted to contribute 25.5% to GDP by 2025, up from 22.6% in 2022 45.

However, Malaysia faces a critical shortage of 12,000 cybersecurity professionals, highlighting why international partnerships like BlackBerry’s expansion and Canada’s CAD 3.9 million training investment are strategically valuable 6.

The combination of government funding, market growth projections, and skills gaps creates optimal conditions for BlackBerry to establish a regional hub while contributing to Malaysia’s goal of becoming a cybersecurity center of excellence.

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