Shamla Naidoo

Advisor | Former CISO, IBM

Shamla Naidoo is a technology executive, lawyer, and board director who applies her business and leadership experience to help MyNextSeason clients succeed in a complex global environment.

Shamla Naidoo is a technology executive, lawyer, and board director who applies her business and leadership experience to help MyNextSeason clients succeed in a complex global environment. A digital transformation leader, she is currently Head of Cloud Strategy and Innovation at Netskope, where she is helping pioneer and build the Agile and risk-aware platform companies need for the future of work. She is also an adjunct professor of law at the University of Illinois Chicago, teaching courses on technology law and privacy.

Shamla  previously served as the Global CISO at IBM, supporting innovative growth and leading and building a culture of security for one of the most targeted companies in the world. In prior leadership roles at ABN AMRO, Anglo American, Anthem/Wellpoint, Bridgewater, Northern Trust, Shell & BP Refineries, and Starwood, Shamla helped organizations in dozens of countries effectively execute their digital technology and transformation journeys.

One way Shamla consistently creates value is by turning every employee into a force multiplier. Using her intuitive ability to develop people into leaders, her teams have dramatically surpassed expectations across every metric. Many of her former employees credit her with turbocharging their careers and continue to seek her counsel years later.

Shamla serves as an Independent Director for Stonebridge Acquisition Corporation, QBE North America, and WisdomTree. She is a member of World 50, Security 50, and the National Association of Corporate Directors and an ambassador for Cyversity, where she works to create an inclusive cybersecurity workforce. She is a sought-after author and speaker for multiple publications and events and is the author of The Cyber Savvy Boardroom (2023).

Shamla earned a degree in Management Information Systems from the South African Institute of Management, a degree in Commerce from the University of South Africa, and a JD from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.

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Advisor | Former CISO, IBM

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