Forcepoint Appoints Ryan Windham as Senior VP of Business Transformation, Driving Data-first SASE Adoption
AUSTIN, Texas – June 21, 2023 – Global security leader Forcepoint today announced the appointment of Ryan Windham as Senior Vice President of Business Transformation. Reporting to Forcepoint CEO Manny Rivelo, Windham will spearhead the company's Security-as-a-Service portfolio transformation with a customer-centric focus on streamlining operations to simplify and accelerate customer adoption of Data-first SASE.
Forcepoint’s Data-first SASE approach to cloud-delivered security and connectivity uniquely focuses on protecting data everywhere. Customers worldwide can simplify their transition from outdated point security products to cloud-delivered security by embracing Secure Access Services Edge (SASE) platforms such as Forcepoint ONE. Forcepoint has integrated Forcepoint ONE and Forcepoint DLP, marking the latest investment in Data-first SASE over the past three years to simplify security and address emerging technologies that upend business realities, such as generative artificial intelligence (AI).
At the center of generative AI lies data, which presents significant opportunities for business growth and productivity. However, it also introduces new pathways for data exfiltration that can be exploited. With Forcepoint ONE, customers can enable employee access to AI apps and websites like ChatGPT, unify policy management in the cloud across multiple channels, and stop data and IP loss with built-in data security.
“Data protection isn’t just a component of security design – it’s the cornerstone. Forcepoint recognized this long ago and has made data protection central to our product strategy. Our Data-first SASE approach helps organizations future-proof security of their critical business data as emerging technologies like ChatGPT become commoditized and create exponential new pathways for data leakage,” said Manny Rivelo, CEO at Forcepoint.
“Our top priority is guiding our customers through the interconnected business and security transformation of today. Ryan Windham is the perfect fit to help Forcepoint advance this mission. With his extensive leadership experience in cyber and AI, combined with his relentless customer-first drive, we can accelerate our transformation and deliver customers of every size the advantage for tomorrow,” he continued.
Windham brings 25 years of expertise in innovation and customer-focused strategy to Forcepoint. His strategic leadership and cross-functional collaboration across Customer Success, Product Management, and Go-to-Market functions will drive the company’s Data-first SASE mission forward.
Prior to joining Forcepoint, Windham was co-founder and CEO of Zeitworks, a SaaS solution that uses machine learning and AI to illuminate, analyze and optimize business processes. He also served as CEO at AppViewX, a leader in low-code/no-code automation and orchestration of network and security infrastructure. During his tenure, Windham’s customer-first focus helped drive a 95 percent customer retention rate and 80 percent subscription revenue growth year-over-year.
“A key reason I joined Forcepoint is their long-standing commitment to simplifying the protection of their customers’ most valuable asset – data,” said Windham. “We are now in an era where generative AI is providing unprecedented opportunities for businesses, but it's also exposing them to new risks. Forcepoint’s unified, data-first approach gives customers the peace of mind to explore these AI opportunities with confidence.”
About Forcepoint
Forcepoint simplifies security for global businesses and governments. Forcepoint’s all-in-one, truly cloud-native platform makes it easy to adopt Zero Trust and prevent the theft or loss of sensitive data and intellectual property no matter where people are working. Based in Austin, Texas, Forcepoint creates safe, trusted environments for customers and their employees in more than 150 countries. Engage with Forcepoint on www.forcepoint.com, Twitter and LinkedIn.