Ex-CEO Adam Geller Returns to Product Management at Zscaler

Zscaler snagged the former CEO of Exabeam as its new product leader to more comprehensively integrate data into security operations and provide additional CXO-level visibility.

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The San Jose, California-based cloud safety vendor tapped Adam Geller to assist Zscaler pursue extra alternatives round information safety and safety operations and double down on partnerships with distributors resembling CrowdStrike and Okta. Geller most just lately spent a yr as CEO of safety operations agency Exabeam earlier than the corporate merged with LogRhythm, and Chris O’Malley grew to become CEO of the joint unit (see: CEO Chris O’Malley on Why LogRhythm, Exabeam Opted to Merge).

“The power to enter an organization at this stage of development the place it is clearly established itself out there because the chief in a class, however actually wants to determine, ‘How do you are taking it to that subsequent stage?’ is one thing that excites me,” Geller informed Data Safety Media Group. “By way of what the market trajectory appears like in cybersecurity. I really feel like Zscaler is nicely poised to proceed on that journey.”

Geller has spent greater than 20 years constructing merchandise in community safety and cloud environments, particularly at Palo Alto Networks, the place he spent greater than seven years within the product group and assist construct out Prisma Entry. Whereas Geller mentioned he loved his crew as CEO of Exabeam, he determined to return to a product management function at Zscaler due to the distinctive alternative the corporate provides (see: Exabeam Gets 3rd CEO Since 2021, Promotes CPO Adam Geller).

“I have been within the community and inline safety world for a really very long time, and after I hung out at Palo Alto Networks, I led virtualization and cloud for them, so I used to be very near all issues aggressive with Zscaler,” Geller mentioned. “I finally constructed out Prisma entry – their first SASE product – and likewise had possession of DLP and CASB, so loads of components which can be similar to Zscaler.”

Bringing Safety Operations to Zscaler

Safety more and more revolves round information fairly than simply conventional real-time safety measures, and Geller mentioned information assortment and evaluation will play a important function in addressing rising threats associated to safety operations. Zscaler is well-positioned to make use of the info it collects to supply holistic safety insights, and the Avalor deal will assist develop a extra complete view of safety incidents, he mentioned.

“There at all times was and at all times shall be a limitation to what you are able to do and see simply by what’s taking place in real-time within the path of site visitors or what’s being executed on an endpoint,” Geller mentioned. “You may’t get a holistic or broad sufficient image about what is going on on if you do not have that extra centralized view or context of what what’s taking place in your surroundings. And that is what safety operations tries to do.”

Geller mentioned there’s rising demand from CISOs and different government patrons for enhanced visibility into their group’s safety posture. Though Zscaler’s current Risk360 product gives a broad view of danger and is differentiated from extra operational safety providing like incident administration, these capabilities must be additional developer to align with each CXO visibility in addition to safety operations, Geller mentioned.

“What prospects and your government patrons are sometimes on the lookout for is, ‘Am I protected? What are my what-if eventualities? If I make these changes, can I get higher insights? Can I’ve higher protection, whether or not it is towards one thing just like the MITRE ATT&CK framework or towards a compliance framework?'” Geller mentioned. “In order that they’re on the lookout for that sort of view.”

How Partnerships Match Into Zscaler’s Technique

Third-party partnerships and integrations are necessary for Zscaler’s technique, Geller mentioned, notably in areas like endpoint safety and id administration that the corporate does not cowl as we speak. Whereas Zscaler does not have choices in each safety class, Geller mentioned partnerships with different distributors like CrowdStrike and Okta present important capabilities to enhance Zscaler’s core providers.

“The apparent query from a buyer ought to be, ‘If you do not have that individual information functionality, are you able to leverage XYZ vendor’s model of that?'” Geller mentioned. “And I believe it is advisable to do this. In any other case, your danger image goes to be extra restricted, as a result of the reply cannot be simply, ‘Purchase the whole lot from one vendor.’ That is not going to work.”

Geller mentioned one of many challenges at a big, public firm like Zscaler is constant to scale with out creating silos that sluggish progress or lead to an inefficient allocation of sources. Whereas Zscaler already has a technique for the present fiscal yr, Geller desires to search for longer-term development alternatives and monitor product adoption to make sure new options and performance present significant worth to prospects.

“How do you run and function in a manner the place you are not simply responding to the newest or loudest factor that got here from a buyer or got here from a CEO, however you even have a considerate methodology and might execute?” Geller mentioned. “And so, you wind up having to place a bit course of in. However the trick just isn’t placing a lot in that you just kill the innovation and also you kill the vitality of a company.”