Strong leadership is central to progress in cybersecurity, especially as threats become more complex and the stakes get higher. The individuals featured below are guiding some of the most influential U.S. based companies in the field. These organizations are improving AI powered threat detection, Zero Trust architectures, managed defense, and identity security at scale.

Their combined impact in 2025 shows not just technical innovation but also strong operations, clear strategies, and resilience. From large platforms to fast growing companies, these CEOs are establishing new standards for effective cybersecurity leadership.

      1. ‌Nikesh Arora – Palo Alto Networks

Nikesh Arora is the Chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks, a global leader in AI-powered cybersecurity. Since he joined in 2018, he has changed the company into the preferred security partner for governments and businesses around the world. With previous leadership roles at Google, SoftBank, and T-Mobile, Arora has decades of experience in technology and business. His emphasis on innovation and a welcoming workplace culture has led to numerous industry and DEI awards for Palo Alto Networks.

 

  1. ‌George Kurtz – CrowdStrike

George Kurtz is the CEO and founder of CrowdStrike, a global leader in endpoint protection and threat intelligence. He has over 30 years of experience in cybersecurity and is a well-known security expert, entrepreneur, and author. Before starting CrowdStrike, he built and led Foundstone, a top incident response company that McAfee later bought. He then became Worldwide CTO and EVP at McAfee. His best-selling book, Hacking Exposed, became a key text in the industry. Through innovation and smart growth, Kurtz has made CrowdStrike one of the most influential companies in modern cybersecurity.

 

  1. Ken Xie – Fortinet

Ken Xie is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Fortinet, a global leader in integrated and AI-powered cybersecurity. A pioneer in the field, Xie has built Fortinet into a company that secures the infrastructure of 70% of Fortune 100 companies and governments worldwide. He has a career full of innovation, and Fortinet is the third cybersecurity company he has started, following Netscreen, which Juniper acquired for $4 billion. An electrical engineering graduate of Stanford and Tsinghua University, Xie is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering and serves on cybersecurity boards at the World Economic Forum and Cyber Threat Alliance.

 

  1. Matthew Prince – Cloudfare

Matthew Prince is the co-founder, CEO, and executive chairman of Cloudflare, a global leader in internet security and performance. He is a serial entrepreneur and expert in cyberlaw. Prince co-created Cloudflare in 2009 with Michelle Zatlyn and Lee Holloway, turning it into one of the most important companies that protect and accelerate the internet. Before this, he founded Unspam and Project Honey Pot. These projects came from his efforts in spam prevention and internet privacy law. With a Harvard MBA and experience as a law professor, Prince combines his legal, technical, and business skills to guide Cloudflare’s mission of creating a better internet.

 

  1. Tomer Weingarten – SentinelOne

Tomer Weingarten is the co-founder, CEO, and Chairman of SentinelOne, a leading AI powered cybersecurity company. Since its inception in 2013, he has guided SentinelOne’s growth with a focus on autonomous threat detection and response.

Before founding the company, Weingarten held product leadership roles at Toluna and co-founded startups like Dpolls and Carambola Media, blending technical innovation with business strategy. His early career includes work in knowledge management systems at McKit Systems in Israel.

 

  1. Jay Chaudhry – Zscaler

Jay Chaudhry is the founder and CEO of Zscaler, a global leader in cloud based Zero Trust security solutions. A serial entrepreneur and visionary in cybersecurity, Chaudhry has founded multiple successful companies including SecureIT, CipherTrust, and AirDefense, each acquired by major industry players. His latest innovation, the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange, is transforming how enterprises secure mobile workforces and accelerate digital transformation. Under his leadership, Zscaler now serves over 7,700 organizations and 45 million users globally, including 40% of the Fortune 500. A recipient of multiple entrepreneur and innovation awards, Chaudhry holds degrees from IIT BHU and the University of Cincinnati, and is a Harvard Business School alum.

 

  1. Sumit Dhawan – Proofpoint

Sumit Dhawan is the CEO of Proofpoint, leading over 4,500 employees in protecting organizations from advanced cyber threats and compliance risks. With more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software, Dhawan previously served as President of VMware, where he oversaw $13B in revenue and led global customer, sales, and marketing operations. He also held leadership roles at Instart and Citrix. Passionate about customer success and inclusive workplace culture, Dhawan holds degrees from IIT, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Florida.

 

  1. Corey Thomas – Rapid7Corey Thomas is the CEO of Rapid7 and a recognized leader in cybersecurity and digital innovation. Appointed to the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee in 2023, he also serves as chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and sits on several influential boards, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Vanderbilt University. With prior roles at Microsoft, Deloitte, and Parallels, Thomas brings deep experience in scaling tech businesses. He holds a B.E. from Vanderbilt and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

 

  1. ‌Kyle Hanslovan – Huntress

Kyle Hanslovan is the CEO and co-founder of Huntress, a fast-growing cybersecurity company protecting over 150,000 businesses with advanced managed detection and response solutions. A former U.S. Air Force cyber warfare operator and NSA contractor, Hanslovan transformed his offensive cyber expertise into a mission to defend small and mid-sized businesses. Under his leadership, Huntress has raised over $350 million in funding and launched groundbreaking security offerings, including managed EDR and ITDR for Microsoft 365. In 2024, he was named EY’s Entrepreneur Of The Year® for the Mid-Atlantic region.

 

  1. Stu Sjouwerman – KnowBe4

Stu Sjouwerman is the founder and executive chairman of KnowBe4, a global leader in human-centric cybersecurity and security awareness training. A serial entrepreneur with over 30 years in IT, he previously co-founded the award-winning anti-malware company Sunbelt Software. Recognizing the critical role of human behavior in cyber risk, Sjouwerman launched KnowBe4 to combat social engineering threats. Today, over 70,000 organizations rely on the platform. He is also the author of four books, including Cyberheist, and has long served as editor-in-chief of key IT security publications.

 

  1. Vishal Rao – Trellix

Vishal Rao is the CEO of Trellix and Skyhigh Security, bringing nearly 30 years of experience in leading software companies through transformation and growth. Before assuming these roles, he served as President and CEO of Snow Software, guiding it through its acquisition by Flexera. Rao also held key leadership positions at Cloudera and Splunk, contributing to their IPOs, and has worked with BMC Software and IBM. He serves on several tech boards and holds a BBA from Richmond, The American International University in London.

 

  1. ‌Ezequiel Steiner– Acronis

Ezequiel Steiner is President and Board Member at Acronis, bringing decades of leadership in business development and enterprise software. Previously CEO of Acumatica and a senior executive at Parallels (formerly SWsoft), he played a key role in driving strategic partnerships and acquisitions. Earlier in his career, Steiner held leadership roles at IBM, where he earned the IBM Role Model Award. He holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Buenos Aires and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

 

  1. Sanjay Beri – Netscope

Sanjay Beri is the founder and CEO of Netskope, a leader in cloud security and analytics. With nearly 20 years of experience in networking and cybersecurity, Beri previously led Juniper Networks’ secure access business and co-founded Ingrian Networks, later acquired by SafeNet. He has also held roles at Microsoft, McAfee, and Newbridge Networks. Beri holds multiple patents in internet security and degrees from the University of Waterloo, Stanford University, and UC Berkeley.

 

  1. Eric Harmon – Trustwave

Eric Harmon is the CEO of Trustwave, bringing over 20 years of leadership experience in technology services and enterprise sales. Prior to Trustwave, he served as EVP of Operations at DXC Technology, overseeing a $25B portfolio and leading strategy, sales, and delivery. He has also held leadership roles at Hewlett Packard Enterprise and McKinsey & Company. Harmon holds a J.D. and a bachelor’s degree in accounting and economics from Georgetown University.

 

  1. ‌Rajat Bhargava – JumpCloud

Rajat Bhargava is the co-founder and CEO of JumpCloud and a seasoned entrepreneur with over 20 years in the tech industry. An MIT graduate, he has founded ten companies, leading to six successful exits, two IPOs and four acquisitions. In addition to building companies, Bhargava is also an active investor and author, known for his insights on startups, leadership, and innovation.

 

  1. ‌Beenu Arora – Cyble

Beenu Arora is the co-founder and CEO of Cyble, Inc., a global cybersecurity firm specializing in AI powered threat intelligence. With over 19 years of experience in cyber intelligence, incident response, and risk management, Beenu has worked across Australia, Asia, and the U.S., offering a unique global perspective. An Indian origin Australian expert, he leads a team dedicated to monitoring threats across the Deepweb, Darkweb, and Surface Web, empowering organizations to proactively manage cyber risks and stay secure in an evolving threat landscape.

 

  1. Kabir Barday – OneTrust

Kabir Barday is the founder and CEO of OneTrust, a global leader in privacy, data, and AI governance. He also serves as chairman of the board. Under his leadership, OneTrust helps organizations responsibly use data and AI through a broad suite of compliance solutions.

A Fellow of Information Privacy, Kabir has been recognized with EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year (2019) and Georgia Tech’s 40 Under 40 (2020). He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Georgia Tech and is an Aspen Institute Henry Crown Fellow. Based in Atlanta, he’s also an Eagle Scout and supports causes like the Aga Khan Foundation and Mayo Clinic.

 

  1. ‌Matt Cohen – CyberArk

Matt Cohen is the CEO of CyberArk, a global leader in Identity Security. Since joining the company in 2019, he has led its transformation to a subscription-based model and expanded its go-to-market strategy. Previously CyberArk’s Chief Operating Officer, Cohen was instrumental in scaling operations and enhancing customer success. Before CyberArk, he spent 18 years at PTC, helping drive its cloud strategy and ARR growth. Cohen holds a B.A. in Psychology from Harvard University.

 

  1. Craig Boundy– McAfee

Craig Boundy is the President and CEO of McAfee, a global leader in online protection. He brings decades of leadership experience from major global tech and information services firms. Prior to McAfee, he served as COO of Experian PLC and CEO of Experian North America. Boundy has also held executive roles at Cable & Wireless, Logica, and British Telecom. A strong advocate for financial inclusion, he serves on the board of Operation HOPE. He holds a degree in Management Studies and German from Lancaster University.

 

  1. ‌John DiLullo – Deepwatch

John DiLullo is the CEO of Deepwatch, bringing over 30 years of tech industry experience, including more than 15 years in cybersecurity. He previously led LiveVox through a successful transformation and acquisition by NICE Systems, and was CEO of Lastline Security prior to its acquisition by VMware. DiLullo has held senior roles at Forcepoint, HP/Aruba, Cisco, and SonicWall, and served as an advisor to top tech-focused investment firms. A former Stanford Fellow, he holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Villanova and owns two U.S. patents.

 

  1. Dave Baggett –INKY

Dave Baggett is the founder and CEO of INKY, an email security company focused on stopping phishing attacks through advanced threat detection. A serial entrepreneur with a unique tech background, Baggett previously co-developed the iconic Crash Bandicoot series at Naughty Dog and co-founded ITA Software, which was acquired by Google for $700M. At INKY, he brings his deep engineering expertise to tackle one of cybersecurity’s biggest challenges: phishing, protecting MSPs and businesses worldwide. Baggett holds degrees from the University of Maryland and MIT.

 

  1. Danny Jenkins – ThreatLocker

Danny Jenkins is the CEO and co-founder of ThreatLocker, a cybersecurity company pioneering Zero Trust endpoint protection. With over 20 years of experience spanning ethical hacking, red and blue team operations, and IT leadership, Jenkins founded ThreatLocker in 2017 after witnessing firsthand the devastating impact of a cyberattack. His mission: to shift cybersecurity from reactive to proactive. Today, ThreatLocker protects millions of endpoints and serves 50,000+ businesses globally. A recognized thought leader, Jenkins is a Forbes Technology Council member and a frequent voice in industry media and events.

 

  1. ‌Balaji Yelamanchili – ThreatConnect

Balaji Yelamanchili is the CEO of a leading cybersecurity firm, bringing over 20 years of experience in scaling high growth software companies. He previously led Symantec’s Enterprise Security Business Unit and held senior roles at Oracle, EMC, Documentum, and Rational Software. With a strong background in enterprise security and analytics, Yelamanchili holds an M.S. in Engineering from LSU and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

 

  1. ‌Mike Crandall – Digital Beachhead

Mike Crandall is the founder and CEO of Digital Beachhead, a firm specializing in vCISO services for governments and mid-sized organizations. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Crandall played a key role in securing and managing critical military networks, including the $50 billion Air Force Satellite Control Network. After retiring from the military, he served as Director of Operations at a government contracting firm before founding Digital Beachhead to fulfill his vision of delivering expert cybersecurity leadership across sectors.

 

  1. Evan Reiser – Abnormal Security

Evan Reiser is the CEO and co-founder of Abnormal Security, a company using AI to stop advanced email threats. With deep expertise in machine learning and behavioral profiling, Reiser previously led ML and product teams at Twitter and co-founded successful ventures like Bloomspot and AdStack. He began his career at Eastman Kodak, applying machine learning to intelligence use cases, and holds a degree in Computer Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.