Corporate Finalists

David Burden is Chief Information Officer at Forcepoint, where he leads corporate IT and the company’s enterprise AI program. With more than 25 years across cybersecurity, SaaS, and private-equity-backed technology firms, he has previously served as CIO at ForgeRock through its IPO $2.3B sale, and has held senior IT leadership roles at Apple and NetApp. Originally from the UK, David has been based in the Bay Area for 20 years.

In twelve months, Forcepoint’s IT team went from support function to strategic partner. We deployed enterprise AI across the company in 30 days, training 90% of employees within a month, connecting AI directly to the tools they use every day. Under our Forcepoint Flow transformation, we launched Illuminate to consolidate years of accumulated go-to-market tools, all while running normal operations. We built a single intelligence layer that gives leaders real-time, synthesized views of the business instead of manual spreadsheets. The result is a company that now expects IT to shape strategy and enable it, not just keep the lights on.

Karthik Chakkarapani is SVP, CIO & Head of Enterprise AI at Zuora, where he leads enterprise technology, data, business operations, corporate operations, and AI transformation. With 20+ years of leadership across Zuora, Signify, Cisco, and Salesforce, he is known for building AI-native operating models and driving measurable business outcomes. His leadership has been recognized by CIO 100, Gartner Eye for Innovation, CSO 100, Constellation Research BT150, and Zscaler’s Zenny Award.

At Zuora, Karthik Chakkarapani is helping redefine how work happens by embedding AI, data, automation, and governance into the enterprise operating model. Under his leadership, Zuora is advancing an AI-native, intent-driven model that improves decision velocity, reduces manual effort, and enables teams to act on insights faster. His team has built AI-enabled customer experience and intelligence across 1,400+ accounts and delivered $2.6M+ in cost optimization through platform simplification and SaaS rationalization. The result is a simpler, smarter, more scalable foundation for growth, productivity, future-of-work employee experience and innovation.

Former CIO/CISO Tope Iluyomade is an AI and technology executive, BetterUp Advisor, and trusted voice on responsible innovation. He helps organizations align emerging technologies with business strategy while advancing secure and ethical AI initiatives. Drawing on leadership experience at BetterUp, Marqeta, GE, and early machine learning research, Tope champions secure systems and human-centric AI solutions designed to put people first.

During my tenure at BetterUp, I transformed a two-person security organization into an enterprise technology function spanning Information Security, IT, Business Technology, and Enterprise AI. We turned security into a growth engine by enabling FedRAMP Moderate authorization, pursuing one of the earliest ISO 42001 AI certifications, reducing operating costs by 41%, and automating critical processes with AI, strengthening trust across customers representing half of the Fortune 500. Most importantly, I built a leadership team and succession plan that let the organization thrive long after my transition into an advisory role. That last part is the one I am proudest of.

Costa Kladianos is in his fifth season as Executive Vice President, Head of Technology for the San Francisco 49ers. He oversees all business technology functions, including IT, cybersecurity, enterprise applications, and fan-facing innovation. His team supports both gameday and year-round operations for the team and Levi’s Stadium. Prior to the 49ers, he led technology for Canlan Sports, the CFL, and Tennis Canada

This year, Levi’s Stadium became the only venue in history to host the Super Bowl, FIFA World Cup, 49ers home games, and major concerts in a single calendar year. No venue has ever taken on an event calendar of this scale and complexity. We did not simply execute these events. We used them to reposition the 49ers as a technology-first organization, attracting partnerships with the world’s largest tech companies and launching the first AI-native fan experience app in sports and entertainment. We are building the model for what a modern sports organization looks like.

As the CIO at Kiteworks, Kumud has led IT, AI, Cloud Operations, and Business Intelligence. He previously served as CIO at Farmers Business Network and held technology leadership roles at Stitch Fix and Airbnb, driving digital transformation across financial services, e-commerce, retail, and hospitality. Kumud is recognized for pioneering agentic AI adoption at enterprise scale and for building high-performing, business-aligned technology teams. He has also served as the Co-President of SIM Bay Area

As the CIO @ Kiteworks, responsible for IT, AI, Cloud Operations, and Business Intelligence, I’ve led our company-wide agentic AI transformation — building the AI governance framework, then launching dozens of AI agents across Customer Support, Success, Marketing, HR, and IT, and rolling out Claude enterprise-wide with a cost-monitoring pipeline to scale responsibly. I also modernized our revenue tech stack by launching a new CRM/CPQ/ERP platform on Salesforce and DealHub, replacing a decade-old legacy system and enabling scalable, automated quote-to-cash processing. Alongside this, I consolidated both CRM and cloud accounts from multiple acquisitions into one secure environment.

Siroui Mushegian is SVP and CIO of Barracuda, leading the company’s IT strategy, digital transformation, AI initiatives, and secure technology operations. With 30 years of executive experience, she focuses on aligning technology with business goals, enhancing customer experiences, and driving measurable growth. Throughout her career, she has held leadership roles at BlackLine, PBS/WNET, NBA, Ralph Lauren, and Time Inc. Siroui holds an MBA from Fordham University and a bachelor’s in mathematics and finance from UConn.

Under my leadership, Barracuda’s CIO organization has advanced security, innovation, operational excellence, and business growth. We strengthened the company’s security posture through enterprise-wide identity and application security initiatives while improving operational resilience. My team significantly increased delivery velocity and productivity through disciplined governance and process optimization. We also accelerated AI adoption by implementing enterprise automation, launching company-wide AI enablement, and establishing responsible AI governance. Additionally, we enhanced data-driven decision-making through modernized analytics and platform consolidation. Together, these initiatives transformed the CIO Organization into a strategic business partner, driving innovation, efficiency, and measurable business outcomes.