Cobalt, a trailblazer in the Pentest as a Service (PtaaS) industry known for its cutting-edge offensive security solutions, has announced the appointment of Sonali Shah as its new Chief Executive Officer. Shah, an Indian American with a distinguished background in cybersecurity, takes on this role amidst a phase of notable expansion and innovation for Cobalt.
Shah, who hails from Potomac, MD, and is currently based in Boston, brings with her over 20 years of experience in the technology sector, particularly in scaling high-growth technology companies. Her impressive career includes significant roles such as an investment banker at Credit Suisse, a pioneer at Bitsight Security Ratings where she developed the first cybersecurity risk rating platform, and key contributions to advancing application security technologies at Veracode and Invicti.
“Cobalt is uniquely equipped to support businesses in managing the risks associated with their growing attack surfaces through efficient and continuous offensive security programs,” Shah commented. “I am eager to collaborate with Cobalt’s exceptional team to guide the company through its next growth phase, with a steadfast focus on delivering unparalleled value to our customers as their needs in offensive security evolve.”
Shah takes over from Chris Manton-Jones, who has been with Cobalt since April 2022 and significantly broadened the company’s offensive security capabilities, leading to substantial revenue and profitability growth.
Gajan Rajanathan, a Partner at Highland Europe and a Cobalt board member, praised Shah’s strategic vision and cybersecurity expertise as essential for the company’s future. He emphasized that Shah’s experience aligns perfectly with the team’s needs and expressed enthusiasm about collaborating with her while recognizing the significant contributions made by Chris to Cobalt.
Shah, who holds an MBA from the Wharton School and a Master’s in Economics from the London School of Economics, also serves on the boards of Shibumi and ThreatX. Her commitment to educational non-profits is evident through her work with Hestia and the GreenLight Fund, and she provides mentorship to entrepreneurs via Springboard Enterprises and Astia.
“I am excited to join Cobalt’s remarkable team,” Shah said. “As a pioneer in PtaaS and a leader in offensive security testing, Cobalt empowers companies of all sizes to manage risk swiftly and effectively. I am enthusiastic about applying my cybersecurity expertise and operational experience to Cobalt’s journey and exploring new opportunities together.”
Shah follows in the footsteps of her husband, Praveen Tipirneni, CEO of Morphic Therapeutic, which was recently acquired by Eli Lilly. Additionally, Shah is the daughter of Dr. Navin C. Shah, a prominent Indian American urologist and co-founder of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI).
