Nat Smith
Senior Director, Product Management
San Francisco, California, United States
Professional Overview
Nat Smith is a seasoned product management executive with over 20 years of experience driving innovation and growth across the technology industry. As the Senior Director of Product Management at Zscaler, Nat is responsible for leading the strategic direction and development of the company's flagship cybersecurity solutions, which protect global enterprises from advanced cyber threats.
Experience Summary
Current Role
In his current role at Zscaler, Nat oversees a team of product managers and works closely with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure the delivery of cutting-edge security products that meet the evolving needs of Zscaler's customers. Nat's leadership has been instrumental in driving the company's market share and revenue growth, with the Zscaler platform now protecting over 5,000 organizations worldwide.
Career Progression
Prior to joining Zscaler, Nat served as a Vice President Analyst at Gartner, where he advised Fortune 500 companies on their cybersecurity and cloud computing strategies. Before that, he held various product management and marketing roles at leading technology companies, including Fortinet, McAfee, Exinda Networks, and OPNET Technologies. Throughout his career, Nat has demonstrated a track record of successfully launching innovative products, driving operational excellence, and fostering cross-functional collaboration.
Academic Background
Nat holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Business Administration from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is also a certified Product Management Professional (PMP) and has completed executive leadership programs at Harvard Business School and the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Areas of Expertise
- Cybersecurity and cloud computing product strategy
- Agile product development and go-to-market execution
- Data-driven decision-making and performance optimization
- Cross-functional team leadership and stakeholder management
- Strategic planning and business transformation
Professional Impact
During his tenure at Gartner, Nat was recognized as a thought leader in the cybersecurity and cloud computing domains, authoring numerous research reports and articles that helped guide the industry's evolving best practices. As a product manager, Nat has led the successful development and launch of several award-winning security solutions, which have earned industry accolades and contributed to significant revenue growth for his former employers.
Conclusion
Nat Smith is a seasoned product management executive with a proven track record of driving innovation, operational excellence, and business growth in the technology industry. With his deep expertise in cybersecurity and cloud computing, coupled with his strong leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills, Nat is well-positioned to continue contributing to Zscaler's success in the rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape.