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Zscaler announces key appointments to drive AI & data innovation
Thu, 23rd Nov 2023

Zscaler has announced the appointment of two dynamic leaders in the realm of innovation and technology implementation to its executive team. Claudionor Coelho Jr. has been appointed as Chief AI Officer and Mohamed Shabar will serve as EVP, Data & AI Platforms. A deliberate decision, this strategic move illuminates the company's commitment to further expansion through rapid technological innovation, while focusing on applied Machine Learning (ML) and AI. The end goal being the reshaping of the future of cloud-based security technologies, thereby cementing Zscaler's position as a leading industry brand.

"We are delighted that Mohamed and Claudionor are joining the Zscaler family to drive the vision and implementation of advanced AI technologies for the world’s largest cloud security platform," remarks Syam Nair, Chief Technology Officer for Zscaler. He continues, "The amalgamation of Claudionor’s and Mohamed’s expertise and notable accomplishments in building advanced AI/ML and hyper-scale automation platforms technologies will catalyse Zscaler’s innovation engine and will enable our customers to propel their digital transformation initiatives."

Mohamed Shabar comes with over 25 years of IT experience and has played a significant role in transforming the next generation of automation, AI and cloud platform development. His feats include a remarkable 30% CAGR and an impressive 3X reduction in customer attrition during his tenure at Salesforce. Furthermore, under his stewardship, the automation platform scaled in volume and throughput 10 times over. Shabar states, “In the era of zero trust, we’ll empower organisations to thrive against an evolving threat landscape with AI, data and automation, and build a future where resilience is rooted in the power of Zscaler’s largest security cloud.”

Claudionor Coelho Jr. brings a vast array of expertise to Zscaler, promising to generate a competitive advantage with the construction of AI and ML innovations. He formerly held the position of Chief AI Officer and SVP of Engineering at Advantest, where he successfully led the development of a Zero Trust private cloud solution fashioned for the semiconductor manufacturing market. Upon joining Zscaler, Coelho declared "In our relentless pursuit of zero trust, at Zscaler, we’ll revolutionise the way we protect data, devices, and networks through state-of-the-art applied Machine Learning (ML), Deep Learning and Generative AI techniques.”

Shabar and Coelho’s appointments come at a crucial time as Zscaler entrances its next phase of growth and innovation. Their collective experience and vision will be vital in accelerating Zscaler's continued mission to safeguard organisations in the mobile and cloud era. The company's unwavering commitment to pioneer the evolving AI landscape through visionary leadership has been emphatically highlighted with these new appointments.