2024 SC Awards Finalists: Security Executive of the Year  

Balasubramaniyan Kannan, known as Bala Kannan, is a seasoned cybersecurity expert and Cybersecurity Leader of Pure Storage, with a proven track record in building and leading high-performing, globally distributed IT teams. Renowned for his strategic hiring practices and motivational management, Bala fosters a security-first culture that emphasizes collaboration across functions. He has spearheaded initiatives like DevSecOps, Cloud Native Application Protection (CNAPP), and Cloud and Container Workload Protection (CWPP), significantly enhancing security across multi-cloud and container environments.

Bala has pioneered innovative remediation solutions, including deep learning bots that have improved incident response efficiency and saved thousands of engineering hours. His efforts have standardized DevSecOps models and CI/CD pipelines, ensuring secure and efficient software development processes. By establishing the Proactive Cybersecurity Center, he has driven the adoption of emerging technologies like Cloud, Containers, Machine Learning, and AI workloads, setting new security standards in collaboration with industry giants like Google and Amazon.

At PureStorage, Bala’s leadership reduced security risks by 80%, integrating DevSecOps into the SDLC and transforming it into a more secure S-SDLC. Bala actively contributes to the cybersecurity community through his thought leadership, including speeches, demos, blogs, and research articles, continually advancing the field.

Ira Winkler is a transformative force in the cybersecurity industry, currently serving as VP of Solutions Architecture USA and Field CISO at CYE. Known for his ability to enhance and streamline processes, Ira excels at identifying inefficiencies without disrupting successful operations. His approach is characterized by humility and precision, allowing teams to thrive while he steps in only when necessary, ensuring solutions are effective and impactful.

Ira’s reputation as a respected leader preceded him at CYE, where he quickly became a trusted advisor across the organization. His broad expertise spans not just cybersecurity, but also data science, operations, customer service, sales, and marketing. This versatility allows him to contribute meaningfully to multiple teams, making him an invaluable asset to the company.

Beyond his internal contributions, Ira is a prominent figure in the cybersecurity community. He speaks at numerous global events, sharing his insights not as a sales pitch but as genuine thought leadership. His willingness to engage with all levels of the profession, from executives to grassroots communities, underscores his commitment to advancing the field. Ira is also a revered mentor, with many professionals crediting him for their career success. His influence, both within and outside of CYE, is unparalleled.

Justin Somaini is a seasoned cybersecurity expert with over 30 years of experience, having held key leadership roles as Chief Security Officer (CSO) at Unity Technologies, SAP, Yahoo!, and Symantec. His career also includes influential positions at VeriSign, Charles Schwab, and PwC. At Unity, Justin built a team grounded in transparency, trust, and accountability, emphasizing the importance of clarity and emotional vulnerability in leadership. He empowered his team to make decisions, understanding that mistakes are part of growth, as long as they are recoverable.

Justin’s holistic approach to security extended beyond the IT realm. He actively immersed himself in marketing, product development, and sales, gaining a deep understanding of business operations. This multidisciplinary knowledge enabled him to engage effectively with executives, tailoring security initiatives to align with broader business objectives. He prioritized using security to enhance contract flows, onboarding processes, and sales pipelines, driving efficiency and business value.

As a Partner at YL Ventures, a cybersecurity-focused venture capital firm, Justin continues to advance the industry by advising and investing in innovative startups. His passion for security is evident in his continuous education efforts, industry contributions like the security Red List, and his advocacy for early adoption of cutting-edge solutions.

Poppy Gustafsson, CEO and co-founder of Darktrace plc, has been instrumental in shaping the company into a global leader in AI-driven cybersecurity. Since Darktrace’s inception in 2013, under her leadership, the company has seen remarkable growth, culminating in its listing on the London Stock Exchange in 2021. Today, Darktrace protects over 9,400 customers worldwide and employs more than 2,300 colleagues, with a strong emphasis on recruiting and retaining top talent.

Gustafsson’s leadership is defined by a commitment to innovation and continuous learning. Darktrace’s culture, built alongside CTO Jack Stockdale, encourages R&D teams to explore new ideas and develop cutting-edge technologies like the Darktrace ActiveAI Security Platform. This innovative environment is further supported by the Darktrace Academy and employee-led resource groups, ensuring ongoing professional development across the organization.

A recognized thought leader in cybersecurity and AI, Gustafsson advocates for the safe and secure development of AI technologies. She has represented Darktrace and the broader UK technology sector at key industry events, including the UK’s inaugural AI Safety Summit and London Tech Week. Her contributions to the field have earned her numerous accolades, including an OBE for services to cybersecurity and Tech CEO of the Year at the UK Tech Awards.

Shlomo Kramer, co-founder and CEO of Cato Networks, is a leading figure in the cybersecurity industry, often referred to as the “godfather of Israeli cybersecurity.” With a career spanning over 30 years, Kramer has been instrumental in shaping the IT security landscape. He co-founded Check Point in 1993, launching the era of the firewall, and later co-founded Imperva, a pioneer in web application firewalls. Both companies became public and set new standards in cybersecurity.

In 2015, Kramer founded Cato Networks, the fastest-growing network security startup, which introduced the concept of secure access service edge (SASE), a unified, cloud-native platform that converges networking and security. Under Kramer’s leadership, Cato has rapidly scaled, achieving $100 million in annual recurring revenue within five years. Cato’s success is driven by its innovative use of AI, machine learning, and a culture of continuous feedback from both customers and engineering teams.

Kramer’s leadership style, characterized by openness and collaboration, has fostered long-term relationships with key team members, some of whom have worked with him for over 20 years. Beyond his own ventures, Kramer has invested in over 30 startups, including Palo Alto Networks and Sumo Logic, contributing significantly to the growth and evolution of the cybersecurity sector.