Andrew Hay Chief Information Security Officer, DataGravity

DataGravity, Inc. has hired Andrew Hay as its chief information security officer.

He is an expert and leading voice in the development and implementation of IT and data security programs, and comes to DataGravity after spending more than 15 years in security roles. As CISO of DataGravity, he will be responsible for the development and delivery of the company’s information security strategy, and will work with the DataGravity leadership team to provide visibility into customers’ data stores and protect sensitive data at the point of storage.

Andrew Hay previously served as the director of security research at OpenDNS, which was acquired by Cisco, and the director of applied security research and chief evangelist at CloudPassage, among other security and software engineering positions. His status as a leader in data security was evident in his faculty position at IANS Research and through his consulting and analyst work with The 451 Group and The Honest Analyst, which he founded in 2014.

“DataGravity is building our company in ways that directly drive our customers’ ability to define, detect and defend critical information,” said Paula Long, CEO at DataGravity. “Bringing a security expert as respected and qualified as Andrew Hay on board marks our commitment to best serving this goal.”

“Data-aware solutions are the cutting edge of sensitive data management technology,” said Hay. “As traditional data security solutions prove increasingly ineffective, joining the DataGravity team allows me to support our customers and partners in protecting critical information from the rapidly evolving threat landscape while applying my industry experience to the forefront of the data security curve.”

Doug Cahill, senior cybersecurity analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group, said: “Andrew Hay brings critical firsthand security industry experience to DataGravity. With his support, we’re confident data-awareness will become the new norm for those looking to optimize their data security profiles.”

Hay has contributed to a number of leading business and technology publications, including Forbes, Wired and the International Business Times, about topics such as cybersecurity, ransomware and sensitive data exposure. He has also shared commentary about the data security industry with USA Today, Bloomberg and other news organizations. Additionally, he has published multiple books and reports related to data and IT security, including OSSEC Host-based Intrusions Detection Guide and The Cyber-Security Playbook.