Don Freese joins Digital Realty as CISO
Digital Realty announced the appointment of Don Freese as Chief Information Security Officer. Mr. Freese, who previously served as a Senior Executive with the FBI and a cybersecurity leader at PwC, brings more than 30 years of leadership experience advising large corporations and the highest ranks of the U.S. government on cybersecurity, cyber operations and IT risk management.
He reports to Executive Vice President, Operations Erich Sanchack and is responsible for overseeing Digital Realty’s company-wide information security technology and programs and managing risks related to confidentiality, integrity and availability of systems and data.
“We’re thrilled to welcome someone of Don’s high caliber to the team as we continue to proactively safeguard our customers from today’s constantly evolving cyber and data security threats,” said Mr. Sanchack.
“Don’s remarkable track record of public service in providing strategic and operational leadership for full-spectrum cybersecurity programs gives him unrivaled insights into the threat landscape and cutting-edge technologies and strategies to combat those threats.
“With Don’s leadership, we will continue to strengthen our advanced security and data privacy capabilities to ensure a secure environment for our global customer base.”
Mr. Freese commented, “Digital Realty is the global leader in the data center industry, and the company’s steadfast commitment to supporting its customers’ growth appropriately places strong information security practices as the foundation.
I look forward to working with the entire Digital Realty team to build a global cloud community that is anchored by the gravitational pull of this secure foundation, and can safely capitalize on the many growth opportunities ahead.”
Mr. Freese was most recently Cybersecurity and Privacy Principal for PwC, leading the firm’s Network Security Services practice for North America, where he pioneered the concept of Zero Trust Strategy in security and led the industry in adopting provably secure digital architectures.
Prior to that, he spent 30 years in government service in a variety of defense and intelligence roles at the FBI, including Senior Executive and Special Agent in Intelligence and Cyber Operations.
During his FBI tenure, Mr. Freese handled national security cyber breaches, directed response teams and global network operations, and advised the nation’s highest officials, including the White House National Security Council, on proactive strategies, intelligence and policies for defending against cyber-attacks.
He received a Master of Science in Business Continuity, Security and Risk Management from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration from California State University – Fullerton.
He also holds Graduate Certificates for Leadership in Counter-Terrorism from University of St. Andrews and Cybersecurity Strategy from Georgetown University.