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Nikesh Arora

Person

CEO of Palo Alto Networks, cited as an example of a successful non-founder CEO who created immense value, challenging the 'founder is always right' narrative.


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8/22/2025, 1:49:02 AM

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8/22/2025, 1:51:38 AM

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8/22/2025, 1:51:38 AM

Summary

Nikesh Arora, born on February 9, 1968, is an Indian-American business executive renowned for his leadership in the technology sector. He currently holds the positions of chairman and chief executive officer at Palo Alto Networks, a leading cybersecurity company, a role he commenced in June 2018. Prior to this, Arora served as president of SoftBank Group from October 2014 to June 2016 and spent a decade as a senior executive at Google, holding various key roles. His career also includes leadership positions at T-Mobile International and founding T-Motion PLC. Arora is recognized for his hands-on leadership style and 'First principles thinking,' which distinguishes him as a successful non-founder leader, as highlighted in discussions contrasting 'Founder Mode' and 'Manager Mode.' In early 2024, his net worth was estimated at $1.5 billion by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
  • Spouse

    Ayesha Thapar

  • Children

    3

  • Education

    B. Tech in Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (IIT (BHU)); M.S. in Finance from Boston College; MBA from Northeastern University

  • Net Worth

    $1.5 billion (early 2024)

  • Citizenship

    India, United States

  • Nationality

    Indian-American

  • Current Role

    Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Palo Alto Networks

  • Date of Birth

    1968-02-09

  • Place of Birth

    Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India

  • Leadership Style

    Hands-on, First principles thinking

  • Professional Certifications

    CFA designation (since 1999)

Timeline
  • Born in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. (Source: summary, wikipedia, web_search_results)

    1968-02-09

  • Graduated from Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (IIT (BHU)) with a B. Tech in Electrical Engineering. (Source: web_search_results)

    1989

  • Obtained the CFA designation. (Source: web_search_results)

    1999

  • T-Motion PLC, which he founded and served as CEO, merged with T-Mobile International. (Source: web_search_results)

    2002

  • Began a ten-year tenure as a senior executive at Google, holding roles such as Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer, President of Global Sales Operations and Business Development, and President of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. (Source: summary, wikipedia, web_search_results)

    2004

  • Married Ayesha Thapar. (Source: web_search_results)

    2014

  • Became President of SoftBank Group. (Source: summary, wikipedia, web_search_results)

    2014-10-XX

  • Departed from SoftBank Group. (Source: summary, wikipedia, web_search_results)

    2016-06-XX

  • Assumed the role of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Palo Alto Networks. (Source: summary, wikipedia, web_search_results)

    2018-06-XX

  • His net worth was estimated at $1.5 billion by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. (Source: summary, wikipedia)

    2024-01-XX

  • Joined Uber's board of directors. (Source: web_search_results)

    2024-06-04

Nikesh Arora

Nikesh Arora (born February 9, 1968) is an Indian-American business executive. He has been the chairman and chief executive officer of the American cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks since June 2018. Arora was formerly a senior executive at Google and president of SoftBank Group from October 2014 to June 2016. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, his net worth was estimated at $1.5 billion in early 2024.

Web Search Results
  • Nikesh Arora - Wikipedia

    Nikesh Arora (born February 9, 1968)( is an Indian-American business executive. He has been the chairman and chief executive officer of the American cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks since June 2018.( Arora was formerly a senior executive at Google( and president of SoftBank Group from October 2014 to June 2016. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, his net worth was estimated at $1.5 billion in early 2024.( Early life ---------- [edit] [...] Nikesh Arora was born to an Indian Air Force officer in a Punjabi family,( Arora completed his schooling at The Air Force School,( and went on to graduate from Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (presently IIT (BHU)) in Varanasi, India, with a Bachelors in Engineering in Electrical Engineering in 1989.( He holds a M.S. degree in finance from Boston College and an MBA from Northeastern University. He has held the CFA designation since 1999.( Career ------ [edit] [...] | Nikesh Arora | | --- | | Image 5 Nikesh Arora in 2015 | | Born | (1968-02-09) February 9, 1968 (age 57) Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India | | Citizenship | United States( | | Education | CFA | | Alma mater | IIT (BHU) Varanasi_Varanasi "IIT (BHU) Varanasi") (BTech) Boston College (MS) Northeastern University (MBA) | | Occupation(s) | CEO and chairman of Palo Alto Networks | | Spouse | Ayesha Thapar ​ (m.2014)​ | | Children | 3 | | Family | Thapar family (by marriage) |

  • Nikesh Arora - The Conference Board

    Nikesh Arora is chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks, the leading cybersecurity company in the world. During his tenure of four years, Nikesh has led the company through a major transformation to become the partner of choice for enterprise organizations and governments around the world. Before joining Palo Alto Networks in 2018, Mr. Arora served as president and chief operating officer of SoftBank Group Corp. Prior to that, he spent ten years at Google, Inc. as a senior executive, where he [...] was senior vice president and chief business officer, president of global sales operations and business development, and president of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Mr. Arora’s career also includes serving as chief marketing officer for the T-Mobile International Division of Deutsche Telekom AG, and chief executive officer and founder of T-Motion PLC, which merged with T-Mobile International in 2002. [...] Nikesh serves on the board of Compagnie Financière Richemont S.A., a public Switzerland-based luxury goods holding company, and Tipping Point, a non-profit organization that fights poverty in the Bay Area. Previously, he served on the boards of SoftBank Group Corp., Sprint Corp., Colgate-Palmolive Inc. and Yahoo! Japan, among others. He holds an M.B.A. in business administration from Northeastern University, an M.S. in finance from Boston College, and a B. Tech. in electrical engineering from

  • Nikesh Arora on Leadership, Listening, and Non-Linear ...

    Image 8Image 9Image 10 This week, Jessica is joined by Nikesh Arora, the chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks. When he joined the company in 2018, Nikesh had no cybersecurity experience, but he explains how he brought a bold vision, nonlinear thinking, and a relentless belief in culture as the foundation for growth. [...] Dr. Jessica Kriegel: This week on Culture Leaders, I had the opportunity to sit down with Nikesh Aurora, CEO of Palo Alto Networks, and one of the most fascinating minds in leadership today. Nikesh doesn’t come from a traditional cybersecurity background. In fact, when he stepped into the CEO role at Palo Alto Networks, he had no experience in the industry at all. What he did have was a bold vision, non-linear thinking, and a relentless belief in culture as the foundation for growth. In this [...] Nikesh Arora joined as chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks in June 2018. Before joining Palo Alto Networks, Nikesh served as president and chief operating officer of SoftBank Group Corp. Prior to that, he held a number of positions at Google, Inc. during a 10-year span, including senior vice president and chief business officer, president of global sales operations and business development, and president of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Prior to joining Google, Nikesh held the role of

  • Palo Alto CEO Nikesh Arora's unique journey - The Indian Express

    Nikesh Arora interview: “Scarcity encourages you to be resourceful. It allows you to do a lot more with a lot less,” said Nikesh Arora, the CEO of Palo Alto Networks Inc., a US-based multinational cybersecurity company. Arora, in a candid conversation with Karishma Mehta of Humans of Bombay, opened up about his journey – from formative years to becoming the CEO of Palo Alto. [...] Newsguard clock_logo facebook twitter whatsapp Reddit Newsguard Nikesh Arora CEO story: The CEO of Palo Alto Networks, shared insights on his inspring path to the top and his vision for AI and cybersecurity. (Express Image/LinkedIn) [...] The tech leader spoke about his humble beginnings in India and his views on the new wave of AI that has gripped the world. Arora, born in Ghaziabad, revealed that he grew up in a disciplined household which was a reflection of his father’s role in the Indian Air Force. “Growing up, we kind of moved around every few years. That brings a degree of adaptability to your life,” he said. His early years were marked by constant change and values passed down from his father: fairness and integrity.

  • Uber adds Palo Alto CEO Nikesh Arora to its board - CNBC

    Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via Email Key Points Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora is joining the board of Uber. He has previously worked at Google, and the move comes as Uber partners with Alphabet-owned Waymo in the face of increased self-driving competition. Tesla is planning its long-awaited robotaxi launch in Austin on June 12. In this article [...] Nikesh Arora, the CEO of Palo Alto Networks, is joining Uber’s board of directors, the company announced in a regulatory filing Wednesday. It comes amid a broader executive shakeup this week at the ride-hailing company, which saw head of delivery Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty depart after 13 years. Andrew Macdonald, head of mobility, was promoted to president and chief operating officer, Uber’s first since 2019. [...] UBER+0.62 (+0.74%)Image 10: After Hours PANW-0.06 (-0.03%)Image 11: After Hours Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Image 12: Nikesh Arora CEO & Chairman Palo Alto Networks, speaking on CNBC's Squawk Box at the WEF Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 16th, 2024. Nikesh Arora, CEO of Palo Alto Networks, appears on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” at the WEF Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 16th, 2024. Adam Galici | CNBC

Nikesh Arora (born February 9, 1968) is an Indian-American business executive. Arora was formerly a senior executive at Google. He served as the president of SoftBank Group from October 2014 to June 2016. On June 1, 2018, Arora took on the role of CEO and chairman at Palo Alto Networks.

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