Shlomo Kramer, co-founder and CEO of Cato Networks, has been named Security Executive of the Year at the 2024 SC Awards, recognizing his profound contributions to cybersecurity innovation and leadership. Known as a serial entrepreneur and visionary, Kramer’s career spans over three decades, during which he has not only founded groundbreaking companies like Check Point, Imperva, and Cato Networks, but also transformed the cybersecurity landscape.
(For a complete list of all of this year's winners visit our 2024 SC Awards special coverage page.)
Kramer’s pioneering work in network security began in 1993 with the co-founding of Check Point Software, the company is credited for creating the world’s first commercial firewall. This early innovation laid the foundation for today’s cybersecurity practices, making Kramer a key figure in the development of firewall technology. In 2002, he continued to shape the industry by co-founding Imperva, a web application firewall pioneer, further expanding the tools available to security professionals. Imperva went public in 2011 and was later acquired by Thoma Bravo in 2019 for $3.6 billion.
Today, Kramer leads Cato Networks, a cloud-native company that aligns with Gartner's Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) framework, which converges networking and security into a single platform. Cato’s approach eliminates the complexity of managing disjointed point solutions and enables secure, optimal connections between users and applications across the globe. Since its founding in 2015, Cato Networks has rapidly grown to become the fastest-growing network security startup, with Kramer’s leadership steering the company to achieve an impressive $100 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) in just five years.
Kramer’s influence extends far beyond his own ventures. Over the years, he has been a key investor in numerous successful enterprise software companies, including Palo Alto Networks, Trusteer, Gong, Sumo Logic, and Exabeam. His ability to identify and nurture emerging talent and technologies has solidified his reputation as a catalyst for growth in the cybersecurity ecosystem.
Kramer’s leadership style is grounded in openness and collaboration, which has inspired loyalty and innovation within his teams. His focus on building a culture where feedback is encouraged and acted upon has been a cornerstone of his success. Cato’s Customer Advisory Board (CAB), composed of large, forward-thinking clients, is deeply integrated into the company’s product development process, ensuring that customer needs are at the forefront of Cato’s innovations.
Looking ahead, Kramer’s work continues to drive the evolution of IT security. His vision for a secure, cloud-based future positions Cato Networks as a leader in the shift toward integrated, cloud-native security solutions. As the "Security Executive of the Year," Kramer’s contributions to the industry are not only reshaping how organizations approach security today but are also paving the way for the cybersecurity solutions of tomorrow.
With a career that has revolutionized three distinct eras of IT security—firewalls, web application firewalls, and now cloud-native security platforms—Kramer remains a dominant force in cybersecurity. His track record of innovation and his ability to anticipate the future needs of the industry make this recognition not only well-deserved but also a testament to his lasting impact on global cybersecurity.
(Who else won this year’s 2024 SC Awards? Visit the winners’ circle and find out.)
