Cohesity announced the additions of Dave DeWalt and Lieut. General (ret.) H.R. McMaster to Cohesity’s Security Advisory Council, where DeWalt will serve as Chair. Increasingly, data security is national security; therefore, protecting sensitive data is critical to safeguarding a nation’s overall security. With the council’s support, Cohesity will continue to advise customers across the globe on how to keep their data safe from cyber-attacks.
The Cohesity Security Advisory Council brings together industry-leading visionaries with deep expertise in security, technology, and IT from a host of enterprise and government agencies — including Netflix, Facebook, the National Security Agency (NSA), Microsoft, Accenture, Deloitte — and now, FireEye, McAfee, and the Executive Office of the President. The additions of DeWalt and McMaster are a testament to Cohesity’s commitment to data security, national security, and cyber resilience.
The council’s new Chair, Dave DeWalt, is a veteran CEO, advisor and investor. He is the founder and CEO of NightDragon, an investment and advisor firm dedicated to the cyber, safety, security, and privacy markets. DeWalt is also the former CEO of FireEye and McAfee and has substantial experience in the information technology and security industry. Lieut. Gen. H.R. McMaster retired from the U.S. Army after serving thirty-four years, including a tour of duty as the 25th National Security Advisor of the United States. McMaster is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Visiting Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and a lecturer in management at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
“The global crises we face today are unprecedented and intensifying, fueled by AI and affecting both physical and digital infrastructures in ways we previously thought impossible. Operational and cyber resilience have never been more critical to our nation’s security than they are right now,” said Dave DeWalt, cybersecurity investor and CEO and Founder of NightDragon. “With over 12,000 customers worldwide, Cohesity is already playing a key role in safeguarding our nation by protecting valuable business data and helping enterprises recover faster than anyone else in the industry. Joining this Security Advisory Council to strengthen these efforts and ensure our nation remains resilient in the face of unprecedented threats is a no-brainer.”
“Data security is foundational to national security. Every day, we experience crippling ransomware attacks and acts of cyber espionage that threaten critical infrastructure, daily operations, and personal security,” said Lieutenant General H. R. McMaster (US Army, ret.). “What Cohesity does to protect companies and critical data from relentless and continuously evolving threats contributes directly to the safety and prosperity of our nation. I look forward to joining the team as part of the Security Advisory Council.”
With newly added strength, the council will continue advising the Cohesity team, customers, and partners on security trends and emerging cyber threats and vulnerabilities while working with industry groups and the broad technology ecosystem to prevent the impact of cyberattacks.
“The growth of our Security Advisory Council is a compelling testament to not only the dedication we have to our customers, but the strength we continue to build as a company in partnership with world-class innovators and leaders,” said Sanjay Poonen, CEO and President, Cohesity. “Our top priority is to help our customers across the globe build cyber resilience and keep their data secure and protected. With our combination with Veritas’ Data Protection business in December, we’re doing that on a much larger global scale than ever. We’re grateful to have talented advisors partnering with us as we accelerate our vision for AI-powered data security and help organisations navigate the challenges ahead.”
In addition to DeWalt and McMaster, the council is comprised of leading industry experts, including:
- Kevin Mandia: Current Cohesity board member, founder of Mandiant at Google Cloud, and co-founder and partner at Ballistic Ventures.
- Alex Stamos: Director of the Stanford Internet Observatory, a Partner in the Krebs Stamos Group, and former CSO at Facebook and Yahoo!
- Jason Chan: Former vice president of Information Security at Netflix.
- Marianne Bailey: Currently leads Guidehouse’s Advanced Solutions Cybersecurity practice and is a former senior cybersecurity executive at the NSA.
- Laura Mather: Current chief operating officer and a member of the Group Executive Committee at Societe Generale.
- Sheila Jordan: Current chief digital technology officer at Honeywell, and former CIO at Symantec.
- Kelly Bissell: Corporate vice president at Microsoft and former global manager director at Accenture Security.
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