F5 Welcomes New Chief Information Security Officer 

F5 Networks has recently made a strategic move in the realm of cybersecurity with the appointment of Samir Sherif as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). This announcement underscores F5’s commitment to fortifying its enterprise cybersecurity strategy and fostering a robust security culture.

In his new role, Sherif will play a pivotal role in steering F5’s cybersecurity initiatives, guiding the evolution of security capabilities and resilience, and overseeing cybersecurity standards and programs for F5’s extensive range of products and services. Additionally, he aims to demonstrate the value of F5’s security solutions to both customers and the broader industry.

Sherif, a seasoned CISO and an expert in application security, brings a wealth of experience to F5. His previous roles as CISO at Absolute Software and Imperva, along with an extensive career at Citigroup where he culminated as the Global Head of Application Security, equip him with a deep understanding of navigating the complex landscapes of security, resilience, and compliance.

Tom Fountain, EVP, Global Services, and Chief Strategy Officer at F5, expressed the significance of Sherif’s appointment, stating, “Samir’s appointment is a result of F5’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest level of security is woven into the fabric of our operational processes and product offerings. His vast experience and leadership in application security are assets that will propel our enterprise security measures and help us safeguard our customers’ digital experiences.”

Sherif’s arrival comes at a time when applications are at the core of digital experiences. While secure applications unlock value and potential, the increasing complexity of today’s applications, distributed over various cloud environments and connected by numerous APIs, poses significant challenges in terms of security. F5 recognizes this and is dedicated to providing an easy and efficient way to secure, scale, optimize, and manage all applications and APIs, regardless of where they are deployed.

“As the new Chief Information Security Officer at F5, my mission is to harness our leadership in multi-cloud application security to further strengthen our enterprise cybersecurity initiatives,” said Sherif. “By continuing to raise the bar on our security culture and standards and showcasing the intrinsic value of our security technologies, we aim to empower our customers to build a better and more secure digital world. I am excited to build on F5’s commitment to ensuring that security is the foundation of our offerings.”

Samir Sherif succeeds Gail Coury as F5’s CISO, with Coury set to retire on March 1 after successfully leading the company’s enterprise security efforts for the past three years. The transition highlights F5’s dedication to maintaining strong leadership in the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, with Sherif poised to continue advancing F5’s mission to provide secure, scalable solutions for applications in a multi-cloud world.