Rinki Sethi

Meet Rinki Sethi: Trailblazing Chief Security & Strategy Officer at Upwind Security Hey tech and security enthusiasts! If you're passionate about cybersecurity leadership and innovation in cloud security, allow me to introduce Rinki Sethi, the dynamic Chief Security & Strategy Officer (CSO) at Upwind Security. With over two decades of experience in the field, Rinki is a recognized powerhouse who has shaped security strategies at some of the world's biggest tech giants. She's not just a leader; she's a mentor, investor, and advocate for women in tech, bringing a unique blend of technical expertise and strategic vision to every role she takes on. Currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Rinki is multilingual, fluent in English, Spanish, Gujarati, and Hindi, and actively involved in organizations like the Society of Women Engineers. Rinki's career is a testament to her prowess in information security. She holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Science Engineering from the University of California, Davis (2004) and a master's in Information Security from Capella University (2006-2007). Her professional journey includes key positions such as Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at Twitter, where she stepped in after the high-profile 2020 Bitcoin scam breach affecting accounts like those of Joe Biden, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates. Before that, she served as VP of Information Security at IBM, CISO at Rubrik, VP of Security Operations at Palo Alto Networks, and Director of Product Security at Intuit, with earlier roles at eBay, Walmart, and PG&E. Rinki has led global security programs, handled high-stakes incidents, and driven innovations in securing complex environments at scale. Beyond her executive roles, Rinki is deeply committed to the broader ecosystem. She's a Founding Partner at Lockstep, a board member at StrongDM and Vaultree, and formerly at ForgeRock. As an advisor to startups like LevelOps and Authomize, and organizations such as Women in Cybersecurity, she champions diversity and emerging talent in the field. Her accolades include the "Women of Influence - One to Watch" award from CSO Magazine and Alta Associates - Executive Women's Forum, highlighting her as an up-and-coming thought leader in information security, risk management, and privacy. Rinki's insights on topics like 'Shadow AI' and enterprise risks have made her a sought-after speaker and contributor in the industry. In June 2025, Rinki joined Upwind Security, a move that's accelerating the runtime security revolution. In her role, she leads the company's global Information Security and Technology functions while driving overall strategy, product development, go-to-market efforts, and customer advocacy. As a former Upwind customer, she brings a practitioner's perspective, emphasizing real-time context and actionable insights to tackle modern cloud challenges. Upwind's CEO, Amiram Shachar, praised her addition, saying, "Rinki isn't just one of the most respected security leaders in the industry, she's someone who's lived the challenges that CISOs face every day."If you're inspired by trailblazers like Rinki, follow her on X at @rinkisethi for the latest on cybersecurity trends and leadership. Who's ready to level up their security game? 🔒🚀