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Security Integrator Optiv Hires Ahmed Shah As SVP of Alliances, Ecosystems

Credit: Optiv
Ahmed Shah, senior VP, Optiv
Ahmed Shah, senior VP, alliances & ecosystems Optiv
Heather-Allen Strbiak
Heather Rim, chief marketing officer, Optiv

Optiv, a security solutions integrator and Top 250 MSSP, has hired Ahmed Shah as its SVP of alliances and ecosystems. Shah is responsible for Optiv's partner strategy and programs that drive and align with the company's goals and growth targets, according to a prepared statement.

Shah previously led technology alliances and strategic partnerships at Ivanti, an IT management software provider. There, Shah was responsible for managing Ivanti's existing partnerships and fostering new go-to-market alliances.

Earlier, Shah managed business development and strategic alliances teams at Cisco Systems, Rovi, Neustar and other technology companies.

Optiv Appoints CHRO, CMO

Along with the Shah hire, Optiv has appointed Heather Allen Strbiak as its chief human resources officer and Heather Rim as chief marketing officer.

Strbiak manages Optiv's worldwide HR strategy and people programs, the company said. She possesses nearly three decades of experience in all domains of HR and has held HR leadership roles at T-Mobile, Accenture and other globally recognized companies.

Meanwhile, Rim handles Optiv's marketing and communications and explores ways to bolster the company's brand visibility, drive demand generation and engage stakeholders, the business said. She most recently served as chief marketing and communications officer at infrastructure consulting firm AECOM.

Optiv Unveils CMMC Capabilities, Partners with Cyberbit

The Optiv hires come after the company in February 2021 announced Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) capabilities to help organizations comply with federal requirements for U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) contracts. These capabilities ensure organizations can use Optiv solutions to develop and manage CMMC compliance programs.

Furthermore, Optiv in December 2020 partnered with Cyberbit, a cyber skills development platform provider. The partnership allows Optiv's North American customers to use live, simulated cyberattacks to train and assess security operations center (SOC) teams.

Optiv strives to provide a "one-stop" partner for cybersecurity, according to the company. It offers risk management, threat management and other cybersecurity solutions to global organizations.

Dan Kobialka

Dan Kobialka is senior contributing editor, MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E. He covers IT security, IT service provider business strategies and partner programs. Dan holds a M.A. in Print and Multimedia Journalism from Emerson College and a B.A. in English from Bridgewater State University. In his free time, Dan enjoys jogging, traveling, playing sports, touring breweries and watching football.