US-based cloud adoption data management firm Rubrik has announced the appointment of ex-CIA Chief Information Officer Michael Mestrovich as the new Chief Information and Security Officer. This opportunity would be Mestrovich’s second foray in the private sector after his experience as systems engineer in Cisco.

Rubrik’s Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Bipul Sinha, said, “Today we added one of the world’s most prominent security experts to our leadership team. We believe it’s essential to combine expertise from both the private and public sectors if businesses and governments want to stand a chance against cybercriminals.” 

He also added that Mestrovich’s understanding of the changing cyber-landscape and exceptional leadership experience will be paramount for the company’s federal, state, and local customers, as well as private companies preparing for inevitable cyber-attacks.

Mestrovich has previously worked all his life in the public sector. He worked for the CIA for six years, becoming their acting CISO in February 2022.  He was responsible for developing security regulations and directing the evaluation and engineering of cyber technologies. 

Mestrovich joined the CIA’s technical service division in 2014 and was promoted to head technical director in 2016. Mestrovich has also worked in the US Department of State for two years as its deputy chief information officer before returning to the CIA as deputy CISO in May 2021. He has also served in the Air Force.

Michael Mestrovich, CISO, Rubrik said that he was excited to return to the private sector. 

“With increased vulnerabilities in existing infrastructure and legacy security solutions, organisations' most critical asset - data - is more vulnerable than ever. I made the decision to return to the private sector at this critical juncture to work with the company that is pioneering the next frontier in cyber security: data security,” he added.