Andy Ellis

Chief Security Officer, Akamai at Harvard Kennedy School

Schools

  • Harvard Kennedy School

Expertise

Links

Biography

Harvard Kennedy School

Andy Ellis is a seasoned technology and business executive with deep expertise in cybersecurity, managing risk, and leading an inclusive culture. He is the founder and CEO of Duha, a boutique advisory firm focused on providing strategic consulting in the areas of Leadership, Management, Cybersecurity, Technology Risk, and Enterprise Risk Management. He is the author of 1% Leadership, the Advisory CISO at Orca Security and the Operating Partner at YL Ventures, and is an advisor to cyber security startups.

Widely respected across the cybersecurity industry for his pragmatic approach to aligning security and business needs, Andy regularly speaks and writes on cybersecurity, leadership, diversity & inclusion, and decision-making. Ellis previously served as the Chief Security Officer of Akamai Technologies, where he was responsible for the company’s cybersecurity strategy, including leading its initial forays into the cybersecurity market. In his twenty-year tenure at Akamai, Andy led the information security organization from a single individual to a 90+ person team, over 40% of whom were women.

Andy has received a wide variety of accolades, including the CSO Compass Award, Air Force Commendation Medal, Spirit of Disneyland Award, Wine Spectator Award of Excellence (for The Arlington Inn), the SANS DMA Podcast of the Year (for Cloud Security Reinvented), and was the winner of the Sherman Oaks Galleria Spelling Bee. He was inducted into the CSO Hall of Fame in 2021.

He currently serves on Harvard University’s Visiting Committee to IT. After receiving a degree in computer science from MIT, Andy served as an officer in the United States Air Force with the 609th Information Warfare Squadron and the Electronic Systems Center.

Videos

Courses Taught

Read about executive education

Other experts

Looking for an expert?

Contact us and we'll find the best option for you.

Something went wrong. We're trying to fix this error.