Microsoft Names New Operating CISOs in Strategic Move to Strengthen Cyber Defense

According to SecurityWeek, Microsoft has promoted two executives to Operating CISO roles as part of a broader shift to AI-driven defence and tighter operational oversight under Global CISO Igor Tsyganskiy. Promoted are Geoff Belknap, now Operating CISO for Core and Enterprise, and Michael Srihari, serving as Operating CISO for Operations and Compliance, both reporting directly to Tsyganskiy.

Belknap’s remit covers Microsoft’s core infrastructure, corporate applications, and security for mergers and acquisitions, while Srihari oversees cross‑cutting operations needed to defend and protect the organisation. Sherrod DeGrippo has also been promoted to Deputy CISO, Customer Security Management Office, to handle customer-facing CISO communications, with all cyber intelligence, counter‑intelligence, red teams and cybersecurity software teams continuing to report to Tsyganskiy.

Tsyganskiy described the changes as part of ongoing organisational optimisation to address increasing threat actor activity and the rapid shift towards AI-based cyber defence, noting the moves align with Microsoft’s Secure Future initiatives announced previously. The article notes Tsyganskiy joined Microsoft in 2023 after seven years at Bridgewater Associates, and that the updates were communicated in a post on LinkedIn.