Technical IT professional with more than 25 years experience in the field. Committed, an effective communicator and presenter with working experience throughout Europe, Middle East, Africa and beyond. linkedin.com
Palo Alto Networks Mar 2023–present
Talon Cyber Security got aquired by Palo Alto Networks in December 2023.
Technical Director EMEA
Alkira, Inc. Jan 2022–March 2023
Alkira was founded in 2018 by Amir and Atif Khan, the visionary computer networking team that created the multi-billion-dollar SD-WAN market with the founding of Viptela. After Viptela was acquired by Cisco in 2017, it was time to look for another significant customer problem to solve.
Alkira has reinvented networking for the cloud era by delivering the network cloud, the first global unified network infrastructure with on-demand hybrid and multi-cloud connectivity, integrated network and security services, end-to-end visibility, controls and governance, all delivered as-a-service.
“Alkira” is from the Australian Aboriginal for “blue sky”, and according to some sources, “a happy place in the sun”. We named our company with an awareness of a fresh start, coupled with real “blue sky” levels of innovation and vision.
Netskope Oct 2019–Dec 2021
Netskope, Inc. is an American software company founded in 2012 that helps companies protect data and protect against threats in cloud applications, cloud infrastructure, and the web.
The Netskope security cloud provides unrivaled visibility and real-time data and threat protection when accessing cloud services, websites, and private apps from anywhere, on any device. Only Netskope understands the cloud and delivers data-centric security from one of the world’s largest and fastest security networks, empowering the largest organizations in the world with the right balance of protection and speed they need to enable business velocity and secure their digital transformation journey. Reimagine your perimeter with Netskope.
Founder
High5! Aug 1999–present
Founded in 1999, High5! B.V. provides hosting, managed hosting, and co-locating services out of Amsterdam the Netherlands. Housed in Digital Realty, Amsterdam Data Tower. Operating out of AS3265 (XS4ALL), AS51088 (A2B) and AS60131. Hosting services on OpenBSD and FreeBSD. Transfering packets through Arista Networks. Started the OpenBSD Amsterdam project in June 2018, hosting opinionated VMs on OpenBSD.
IntSights Aug 2017–Sep 2019
IntSights is an intelligence driven security provider, established to meet the growing need for rapid, accurate cyber intelligence and incident mitigation. Our founders are veterans of elite military cybersecurity and intelligence units, where they acquired a deep understanding of how hackers think, collaborate and act.
Mischa is recruited to lead the Systems Engineering team in EMEA for IntSights. Within this role he is responsible to build and expand business in the region from a technical perspective.
IntSights got aquired by Rapid7 in July 2021.
Global Manager Systems Engineering CSS
Palo Alto Networks (LightCyber) Nov 2015–Jul 2017
Palo Alto Networks is the next-generation security company maintaining trust in the digital age by helping tens of thousands of organizations worldwide prevent cyber breaches. With our deep cybersecurity expertise, commitment to innovation, and game-changing Next-Generation Security Platform, customers can confidently pursue a digital-first strategy and embark on new technology initiatives, such as cloud and mobility. This kind of thinking and know-how helps customer organizations grow their business and empower employees all while maintaining complete visibility and the control needed to protect their critical control systems and most valued data assets.
Mischa is recruited to lead the Systems Engineering team in EMEA for LightCyber. Within this role he is also responsible to expand business in the region on a technical level. To expand the territory for LightCyber, another part was to recruit and manage channel partners.
Key achievements include:
- Started LightCyber in EMEA including Benelux / Nordics, DACH, Eastern Europe, Turkey and South Africa
- Hired and managed the SE team
- Build key processes around customer engagement and evaluations
- Technical responsible for closing the largest single order in LightCyber history
LightCyber got aquired by Palo Alto Networks in March 2017.
Customer Solutions Engineer EMEA
Cumulus Networks Nov 2014–Nov 2015
Founded by veteran networking engineers from Cisco and VMware, Cumulus Networks has developed the first true, full-featured Linux operating system for networking hardware. Just as Linux transformed the economics and accelerated the pace of innovation on the server side of the data center, Cumulus Linux is doing the same for the network side. We are radically reducing the cost and complexity of operating modern data center networks and enabling the true promise of the software defined data center.
Major win: Yandex (RU)
Cumulus got aquired by Nvidia in May 2020.
Principal Systems Engineer EMEA & LATAM
A10 Networks Aug 2010–Nov 2014
A10 Networks was founded in 2004 with a mission to provide innovative networking and security solutions. A10 Networks makes high-performance products that help organisations of all sizes accelerate, optimise and secure their applications. A10 Networks is a venture-funded, Silicon Valley-based technology company, with offices around the world.
One of the major successes was achieved with a $3.500.000 deal at Cisco.
Other key achievements include:
- Consistently exceeds targets
- Significant wins at KabelBW (DE), Mobily (SA), OmanTel (OM), Opera (NO), Schibsted (NO), Tele2 (NL), Viva (BH), XS4ALL (NL)
- SE of the Year 2013, 2012, 2011, #1 SE Challenge 2013
- Building and managing the EMEA Virtual Lab Infrastructure
Systems Engineer Service Provider Europe
Brocade (Foundry Networks) Jun 2007–Aug 2010
Brocade is an industry leader in data center networking solutions and services that enable organisations to manage their most vital information assets. Brocade has pioneered the technologies that enable highly reliable and secure data center connectivity. Today most of the world’s data flows through Brocade equipment and data center networks built on Brocade technology.
Foundry Networks is a leading provider of high-performance enterprise and service provider switching, routing, security, and application traffic management solutions including edge and backbone Ethernet switches, Web and content-aware application switches, network-wide security solutions, wireless LAN and access points, wide area access routers and internet provider edge and service provider core MPLS routers.
Recruited by Foundry Networks, Mischa is primary responsible for the Service Provider business in the region on the ServerIron (Layer 4-7) product line as speciality, as well as the Routing and Switching portfolio. Working closely together with the responsible sales teams as an overlay resource.
Foundry Networks got aquired by Brocade in July 2008.
Brocade got aquired by Broadcom in November 2016.
Systems Engineer Benelux
Blue Coat Systems Jul 2005–Jun 2007
Blue Coat Systems, Inc. manufactures and markets web security and WAN optimisation appliances that can be used with protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, CIFS and MAPI. Competitors in this space are companies like Cisco, Microsoft, Juniper and Riverbed.
Mischa is recruited to maintain and expand the business in the Benelux. Leveraging the two-tier sales model with direct-touch. Managing and supporting the channel partners and customers on a technical level.
Key achievements include:
- Consistently exceeds targets
- Significant wins at Belastingdienst (NL), European Parliament (BE), de Nederlandsche Bank (NL), Agfa (BE), Philips (NL), Swift (BE)
- Excellence Award 2006
- Building and managing the Blue Coat European Virtual Lab
Blue Coat Systems got acquired by Symantec in Ausgust 2016.
Symantec got aquired by Broadcom in August 2019.
Regional Technical Manager Northern Europe
CipherTrust Oct 2003–Jul 2005
CipherTrust manufactures and markets mail security appliances, which compete against products from companies like IronPort, Message Labs, FrontBridge, Trend Micro, etc.
Mischa is responsible for building technical sales in the Benelux, Nordics and Switzerland and expanding business in the Middle East and South Africa.
CipherTrust got acquired by Secure Computing in August 2006.
Manager Systems Engineering Europe
Ingrian Networks Mar 2002–Oct 2003
Ingrian Networks, Inc. manufactures and markets SSL security products, which are in direct competition with Cisco, Bluecoat, F5, Alteon and Sun.
Mischa is recruited to lead the European Systems Engineering team. Within this role he is also responsible to expand business in the region on a technical level. Presenting to management teams and security teams as well as training customers and channel partners are part of his day- to-day responsibilities.
To expand the territory for Ingrian, another part was to recruit and manage channel partners. These partners include Network Appliance, EET, NetDesign, MaerskIT, Teldata, Sopra Group, IBM and Telindus.
Key achievements include:
- Consistently exceed targets
- Significant wins at Danske Bank (DK), Deutsche Bank (DE), Credit Agricole (FR), Orange (NL), Dmdata (DK), PBS (DK), Telewest (UK)
- Start-up Ingrian Networks in Benelux and Nordics
- Start-up Ingrian Networks in France
- Start-up Ingrian Networks in Germany and Switzerland
- Top Systems Engineer 2002 for outstanding performance and contribution in support of Ingrian Networks sales
Ingrian Networks got acquired by Safenet in April 2008.
Senior Systems Engineer Europe
CacheFlow, Inc. Mar 2000–Mar 2002
CacheFlow, Inc. manufactures and markets port 80 web security products, which compete with Cisco, Network Appliance, Inktomi, Symantec, Compaq, Sun and Novell.
Recruited by CacheFlow, Mischa has responsibility for technical sales of CacheFlow hardware via channel partners into the Enterprise, Telco and ISP space. He also trained customers and partners throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa as well as Caribbean and Latin America. One of Mischa’s career successes was achieved in closing a $250.000 deal to build the caching network infrastructure for Elsevier in the Netherlands.
Other achievements include:
- Significant wins at OmanTel (OM), KACST (SA)
- Start-up CacheFlow Pre-Sales in Benelux
- Start-up CacheFlow Pre-Sales in the Nordics
- Start-up CacheFlow Pre-Sales in South Africa
CacheFlow, Inc. was renamed to Blue Coat Systems in 2001.
Blue Coat Systems got acquired by Symantec in Ausgust 2016.
Symantec got aquired by Broadcom in August 2019.
Senior Systems Engineer EMEA
Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Livingston Enterprises, Inc.) Jan 1998–Mar 2000
Lucent Technologies, Inc. is the world-leading manufacturer of high-speed data and telecommunications equipment.
Recruited by Livingston, Mischa is responsible for Key Accounts
within the DNS group to provide project based network integration.
Key Accounts as Adornis (IE), Ocean (IE), Mobistar (BE) and British
Telecom (UK).
- Top Gun 1999
Livingston Enterprises, Inc. got acquired by Lucent Technologies, Inc. in 1997.
Lucent Technologies, Inc. got acquired by Alcatal SA in 2006.
Senior Network Engineer
XS4ALL Jan 1996–Jan 1998
XS4ALL Internet BV is the leading Internet Service Provider in the Netherlands with over 250.000 customers. XS4ALL was the first consumer focussed ISP in the Netherlands.
Mischa began his career building a national network infrastructure and remote access platform for the customers of XS4ALL. Gaining knowledge on various systems and networking equipment.
XS4ALL got acquired by KPN in December 1998.
University of Computer Science in Den Haag, The Netherlands
University of Economics and Management in Utrecht, The Netherlands