United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia
Business Continuity Planning
Business continuity planning that keeps critical operations running when people, premises, suppliers or IT systems are unavailable. For organisations that need a plan their staff can actually use, and evidence of it for clients, regulators or insurers.
- Critical activities identified
- Plans for people, sites and IT
- Exercises that test the plan
Business continuity planning prepares an organisation to keep critical operations running during and after a disruption, such as a power cut, cyber attack, supplier failure, pandemic or loss of a building. It identifies critical activities, sets recovery priorities, assigns roles, plans workarounds and communications, and tests the plan, covering people, premises and suppliers as well as IT systems.
Business Continuity PlanningBusiness Continuity Planning: what it involves
Disruption rarely arrives in the form people plan for. A cyber attack locks systems, a flood closes the office, a key supplier fails or a regional event stops staff travelling. Many continuity plans exist as long documents written for an audit and never tested, so when something happens, people improvise. Customers, regulators and insurers now often ask to see a credible, exercised plan rather than a policy on a shelf.
We start with a business impact analysis to identify critical activities, how long each can be disrupted and what it depends on: people, premises, systems, data and suppliers. We then agree continuity strategies such as alternative work locations, remote working, manual workarounds and supplier alternatives, and link them to IT disaster recovery. Plans become short, role-based playbooks with contact trees and crisis communication templates. Tabletop exercises with your team test and improve them, aligned with ISO 22301 principles where useful.
What your plan should answer
- 1Which activities must continue and how quickly they must resume
- 2Where staff will work if the office is unavailable
- 3How customers, staff and suppliers will be informed
- 4Which suppliers are critical and what the alternatives are
- 5How IT disaster recovery supports each critical activity
Our Business Continuity Planning scope
Plans that keep critical operations running through outages and crises
Critical activities, tolerable downtime and dependencies identified.
Likely threats to people, premises, suppliers and systems reviewed.
Alternative sites, remote work and manual workarounds agreed.
Short plans for each team instead of one long document.
Contact trees and message templates for staff and customers.
Tabletop scenarios that test decisions and roles.
What you receive, and what shapes the cost
What you receive
- A business impact analysis covering critical activities and dependencies
- A continuity strategy for people, premises, suppliers and technology
- A written plan with roles, contact lists and escalation steps
- A crisis communication plan for staff, clients and authorities
- An exercise report with lessons learned and actions
What affects the cost
- Number of sites, departments and critical activities
- Whether IT disaster recovery is included or handled separately
- Depth of supplier dependency analysis needed
- Number and type of exercises required
Business Continuity Planning: project phases
- 01Impact analysis
We identify critical activities and how long each can be disrupted.
- 02Strategy
We agree workarounds and recovery options for people, premises, suppliers and IT.
- 03Plan
We write a clear plan with roles, contacts and step-by-step actions.
- 04Exercise
We run tabletop or live exercises and update the plan from results.
Common Business Continuity Planning mistakes
Continuity covers people, premises and suppliers too, so involve every department.
Lengthy documents are ignored in a crisis, so keep action cards short.
Wrong phone numbers slow response, so review contacts regularly.
Untested plans fail under stress, so run exercises with the people who will act.
Business Continuity Planning terms explained
- Business impact analysis
- A study of how disruption to each activity affects the organisation over time.
- Maximum tolerable period of disruption
- The longest an activity can be down before harm becomes unacceptable.
- Tabletop exercise
- A discussion-based rehearsal where a team walks through a scenario.
- ISO 22301
- The international standard for business continuity management systems.
The difference you will notice
- 01A usable plan
Short playbooks staff can follow under pressure.
- 02Practised responses
Teams that have rehearsed their roles.
- 03Evidence for stakeholders
Documentation for clients, regulators and insurers.
Five steps from assessment to always-on support
- STEP 01Assess
We review your infrastructure, security posture, assets and support model, and agree priorities.
- STEP 02Design
A clear architecture and plan, with scope, timeline and a fixed quote before work starts.
- STEP 03Deploy
We supply, install, configure and migrate, then document everything we build.
- STEP 04Manage
Ongoing support, monitoring and maintenance under agreed SLAs.
- STEP 05Improve
Regular reviews, reports and recommendations as your business grows.
Business Continuity Planning in the UAE and Saudi Arabia
Local offices in Ras Al Khaimah and Riyadh, remote support around the clock and on-site visits where your project needs them.
Business Continuity Planning in the UAE
Shyphan AI Technology LLC, RAK Free Trade Zone, Ras Al KhaimahUAE organisations often operate across several emirates and free zones, which gives options for alternative sites but needs clear coordination. We align plans with UAE PDPL obligations for handling personal data during an incident and include supplier dependencies across the region. We support the Emirates from our Ras Al Khaimah office, remotely around the clock and on site where needed.
- Data handled in line with the UAE Personal Data Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021), and the separate DIFC and ADGM regimes where they apply.
Business Continuity Planning in Saudi Arabia
Shyphan AI Technologies LLC, Malaz, King Abdulaziz Road, RiyadhSaudi organisations need continuity plans that reflect the Saudi PDPL and, for government and critical infrastructure, the resilience expectations in NCA Essential Cybersecurity Controls. We plan for sites in Riyadh, Jeddah and the Eastern Province, using each as a possible alternative location where that makes sense. Our Riyadh office leads this work in the Kingdom.
- Work aligned with the Saudi Personal Data Protection Law (SDAIA) and, for government and critical infrastructure, the NCA Essential Cybersecurity Controls.
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What is the difference between BCP and disaster recovery?
Business continuity covers how the whole organisation keeps operating. Disaster recovery is the IT part that restores systems and data.
Do you follow a standard?
We can align plans with ISO 22301 principles. We help you prepare, but certification is carried out by accredited bodies.
How often should the plan be tested?
Regularly, and after significant changes in people, premises or systems. We agree an exercise schedule with you.
Who needs to be involved?
Senior management, heads of critical functions, IT, HR and facilities. Their knowledge shapes realistic strategies.
Can our Jeddah office act as a backup for our Riyadh headquarters?
It can, if systems, staff access and space are planned for it. We assess what would be needed and include it in the continuity strategy.
Does the plan cover a cyber attack as well as physical incidents?
Yes. We include cyber scenarios such as ransomware, with links to your incident response and disaster recovery plans.
Do you provide Business Continuity Planning in Dubai and Riyadh?
Yes. We deliver Business Continuity Planning across the UAE from our Ras Al Khaimah office and across Saudi Arabia from our Riyadh office, with remote support 24/7 and on-site visits in cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam where your project needs them.
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