Field CISO

Cato Networks•Phoenix, AZ

About The Position

Cato Networks is a pioneering company in cloud networking and security, offering a converged enterprise network and security service delivered via the cloud. Founded by industry leaders, Cato has established a new product category, SASE, with significant market growth projected. This role is for an exceptional Field CISO to join the strategy organization. It is a senior executive position for a seasoned security leader with direct CISO experience in large private and public companies. This is not a pre-sales role. The Field CISO will act as a peer-level advisor to customer CISOs, CIOs, CTOs, risk leaders, and boards, guiding them on security strategy, business risk, architecture, resilience, AI, and the role of SASE. The position involves close collaboration with Sales, Solutions Engineering, Customer Success, Product, Marketing, and Cato leadership to build executive trust, influence strategic opportunities, enhance Cato's standing in the security leadership community, and integrate customer insights into company strategy.

Requirements

Minimum of 10 years as an actual CISO in large private or public companies. Advisory, consulting, vendor, or Field CISO experience alone is not sufficient.
20 or more years in cybersecurity, with executive accountability for enterprise security strategy, risk, architecture, operations, incident response, governance, compliance, and board reporting.
Proven experience leading security in complex enterprise environments, including global operations, regulated industries, public companies, or similarly demanding organizations.
Active network of CISO, CIO, risk, security, and technology executive peers, with the ability to use that network to build access, trust, insight, and business impact.
Willingness and ability to travel extensively for customer meetings, executive briefings, industry events, internal planning, and regional field programs. Travel may exceed 50 percent.
Deep understanding of modern security and infrastructure, including SASE, SSE, SD WAN, Zero Trust, cloud security, identity, threat prevention, SOC modernization, data protection, AI security, and compliance.
Strong executive presence, public speaking, writing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate complex security topics into clear business language.
Commercial judgment, cross-functional discipline, integrity, discretion, and the ability to work closely with field teams while preserving the credibility expected of a former CISO.

Nice To Haves

Recognized security community profile, including public speaking, publishing, media participation, advisory boards, or peer community leadership.
Experience in complex, high stakes environments such as Fortune 1000, Global 2000, regulated industries, critical infrastructure, or large scale transformation programs.
Familiarity with Cato, SASE, security platform consolidation, or enterprise network security modernization.
Relevant certifications or advanced education, such as CISSP, CISM, CCISO, MBA, or a graduate degree in cybersecurity, computer science, engineering, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted executive advisor to CISOs, CIOs, CTOs, risk leaders, boards, and senior decision makers in Cato’s most strategic accounts.
Lead peer-level security conversations on business risk, cyber resilience, cloud transformation, network modernization, security consolidation, AI security, and regulatory pressure.
Leverage personal network of security executive peers to create trusted conversations, executive access, customer references, roundtables, advisory programs, and market influence.
Partner with Sales, Solutions Engineering, Customer Success, Product, Marketing, and leadership to shape strategic opportunities, executive messaging, business cases, and stakeholder alignment.
Translate Cato’s platform value into executive outcomes, including risk reduction, operational simplicity, resilience, better user experience, faster transformation, and lower complexity.
Represent Cato through executive briefings, board discussions, customer advisory sessions, industry events, webinars, podcasts, media engagements, and thought leadership content.
Act as the voice of the CISO community inside Cato, bringing customer priorities, market trends, competitive insight, and executive objections back to the company.
Support strategic evaluations, executive escalations, security reviews, regulatory discussions, adoption programs, and high-stakes customer conversations where real CISO credibility is required.
Build repeatable field assets, including executive presentations, CISO narratives, board messaging, security transformation playbooks, and objection handling guides.
Build long-term trust with the security leadership community by being credible, direct, commercially aware, and intellectually honest.