John Wheeler

“John is one who builds teams on the principles of advocacy, open communication and respect. As a member of his leadership team, I have seen unwavering integrity, managerial courage and collaboration at levels that inspire his teams, his peers and his leaders. As a Chief BISO, John worked diligently to enable the business and properly represent the value of security teams. As a Chief Security Officer, I've seen John bring tower leads together, improve collaboration, and genuinely work to position Cognizant at its best. Leaders who work with John become better leaders through the example he sets.”

“John Wheeler is a thought-provoking leader in Security who can work at all levels. He gets to the heart of the matter and helps to make the organization more effective. He has a broad security background and professional experience. He is talented in bringing collaboration amongst teams and the end result is better security across the entire organization. I enjoy working for and with him to bring new initiatives to forward.”

“I am delighted to recommend John based on my experience working with him during our time at Cognizant. John played a pivotal role as my mentor, providing invaluable guidance and support. Throughout our professional relationship, John demonstrated exceptional expertise and proficiency in the field. His deep understanding of cyber program management and ability to devise strategic solutions made him an invaluable resource for our team. Whenever I encountered challenges or sought advice, John was always there, ready to lend a helping hand and share his wealth of knowledge. His genuine passion for nurturing talent and empowering others to reach their full potential sets John, apart. He consistently went above and beyond to ensure I had the necessary resources and opportunities to excel in my role. Under his mentorship, I developed a solid foundation in Cyber Executive leadership and gained the confidence to tackle complex projects with ease. John's leadership style is commendable, as he fosters a collaborative and inclusive work environment. He has a remarkable ability to motivate and inspire team members, encouraging them to think creatively and explore innovative solutions. His dedication to cultivating a culture of continuous learning and professional growth is genuinely admirable. John possesses exceptional communication and interpersonal abilities. He builds rapport with colleagues and clients, effectively conveying complex concepts clearly and concisely. Undoubtedly, John's contributions were instrumental in enhancing our team's performance and achieving our goals. I have no hesitation in recommending him as a highly skilled and dedicated executive. Any organization or individual fortunate enough to work with John will undoubtedly benefit from his expertise, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to excellence.”

“Having had the privilege of working closely with John Wheeler for two years, I can confidently say that he possesses a rare mix of business acumen and technical competency that sets him apart from other Cyber security executives. During our time together, I witnessed John's unwavering commitment to cybersecurity and his deep understanding of both the business drivers that impact security and the profession’s ever-evolving landscape of digital threats. His technical competency combined with his strategic mindset allows him to develop innovative, business-oriented solutions that effectively mitigate risks and improves the security posture of an organization. John consistently stays up to date with the latest industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices, ensuring that his role as a leader is one of impact. One of John’s most impressive qualities is his ability to communicate complex cyber concepts clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. He possesses excellent interpersonal and presentation skills, which enable them to build strong relationships across any organization and gain the support of key decision-makers. John successfully led a global team, that fostered collaboration and drove high impact results for the Company while we worked together. Furthermore, John has a proven track record of implementing and managing comprehensive security programs, encompassing risk assessment, incident response, security audits, and compliance. John is a natural leader who inspires and motivates his team. He applies a coaching mindset to develop his team and direct reports. John has an inclusive leadership style that results in high employee morale and productivity.”

“I had the privilege of working with John during my tenure at Cognizant. As a cybersecurity executive, John consistently impressed me with his exceptional expertise and leadership. John is an outstanding leader who inspires and motivates his team. He sets clear vision, is a very effective communicator and extremely collaborative. Not to mention, he is just a good man!”

“I joined John's BISO team in October 2022, thrilled to know I was starting a new job working for a very intelligent, high-energy cyber professional. John is an excellent manager and motivator, always maintaining focus and positivity in the face of challenging issues. John is a pleasure to work with, a total team player who really goes above and beyond other leaders. He can quickly spot and assess an issue and identify options to consider, followed by a thorough analysis to finally reach the best outcome. He garners input from others when appropriate which really strengthens his team. John’s expert skill set includes: IT finance, strategic and tactical planning, analyzing the bigger picture, communicating with executive management and delivering the right message to every audience. I highly recommend John to any company.”

“John is a consummate professional that know his craft. I have the pleasure of being a peer and partner at Cognizant and highly recommend him. ”

“It is rare to come across someone that is as strong a business leader as they are a people leader, but John exemplifies both. I have had the opportunity to work with John as a technology partner while he was at IBM and as my VP while at Cognizant. It is easy to be impressed by his industry knowledge and ability to make difficult business decisions; but it wasn't until I worked for him that I was able to see him function as a coach and mentor. No matter how difficult and tense a situation became, John made sure that the team understood our path forward and marshalled the group to operate as one. I look forward to a time when I can work with or for John again.”

“In the time that I worked with John at Cognizant I found him to be a consistent highly effective security leader. John has a firm grasp of the industry, is an excellent manager and time and time again was able to lead his team to amazing results. I also saw John operate under significant pressure as the result of multiple security incidents and he was extremely steady providing insightful leadership to his team through crisis. John also has an excellent breadth of knowledge both in technical security and for commercial pursuits. I would heartily recommend him for CISO, CSO, CIRO, etc. John is truly a great overall leader.”

“I had the distinct pleasure of working with John while at IBM. His business & technical acumen make him a great strategist. This coupled with his “roll-up the sleeves” leadership mentality resulted in effectively bringing many successful offerings to the market.”

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with John for several years now at IBM. John is a dedicated leader with strong business background across multiple functions. He’s been in key executive leadership roles responsible for strategy, offering management, delivery and operations across our IBM Security Services business. He’s the executive sponsor for many of our top accounts where he is personally involved with some of our most demanding customers. He is also one of our key leaders driving stronger community engagement among our workforce in Atlanta. Whenever I call or need a listening ear, John is always willing to lend a helping hand. John is an exceptional leader who will no doubt be running his own business one day. ”

“John is without a doubt a leader most people want in their career - at least once to set the standard high. His relationship skills are superb - he connects with employees, other leaders and clients effortlessly - no matter what level they are. He has strategic mind, yet pays attention to the detail, especially in storytelling and written communications. He is decisive and will support you in making your own decisions. I have found his personal interest in your career and life a particularly unique leadership trait - one that reflects his commitment to development and well being of others. I have worked for many VPs and directors and can state that John has a superior mix of leadership, domain (security) knowledge, client relationship and conflict/critical resolution capabilities. Would work for him anywhere. ”

“I've had the pleasure of working under John's leadership since 2015. Without question, John is an inclusive leader, who encourages people to lead in their own areas of expertise and skill, giving us all the autonomy and help we need to do our work well. He is a supportive and thoughtful leader, who will express his gratitude for the simplest to the toughest of assignments, and he will celebrate our achievements with his peers and other colleagues - because he believes in lifting people up. John is an incredibly strategic and creative person, who manages a broad portfolio of lines of business within IBM Security, and to that end, he is a steady leader and strong role model (and mentor) to many. I regard him as one of my favourite people to work for (and with). More than anything I'm grateful for the opportunity to have learned much from him along the journey at IBM Security. ”

“John is a great leader! I have witnessed growth and increased strength in IBM Security Services with his contributions. I am always inspired by his ability to communicate and deliver honest, thorough and thoughtful guidance. Security leaders from other companies that come to learn about IBM Security are sure to find a partner and feel confident in him once they listen to his message. I am privileged to have him as a mentor and friend.”

“Having had the opportunity to work under many managers throughout my career, few were actually leaders. John is one of those dynamic people that leads by example. I have seen John handle the most challenge crowd of c-suite members, to sitting on critical calls to make sure his staff had the support they needed. John is a visionary, staying ahead of the market by ensuring he is in touch with client needs and developing effect programs for them. Thank you for your leadership over the years John.”

“I had the pleasure of working with John while in the IBM Security organization. As one of the most knowledgeable and forward thinking individuals I know, John demonstrated a superb grasp on a wide range of multiple security technologies and possesses strong executive leadership skills. John demonstrated a high level of personal integrity, a strong participative/servant leadership style and he took genuine personal interest in his team and business unit. His commitment was unrivaled; he created an environment of trust and his forward-thinking and collaborative skills both inspired and empowered his team (and business) to grow. A true executive leader in every sense, I highly recommend John. ”

“John is an unique security leader with a huge professional and international life experience, a leader by example! I had the pleasure to report to him in the past and few months later I became a client where I have been still learning a lot with him, my coach for ever! Thank you everything John!”

“John Wheeler is a seasoned Security Services executive. For nearly two decades, he has worked in fast paced startups and publicly-traded security companies, driving dynamic change. Within these companies, John has held leadership positions in delivery, sales, operations, business development and product management, giving him a unique and differentiating perspective on each business function and their role in achieving organizational success. He is punctual, organized, energetic and shows up each day ready to win. John is a thoughtful leader who is well equipped to help companies large and small achieve success.”

“John did an excellent job managing our Managed Security Services business at IBM. He successfully grew the revenue while transforming the organization and improving client satisfaction. John is a great executive and exhibits superior leadership qualities.”

“I have had the pleasure of working for and with John over the past 2 years. John is a true security leader that is able to inspire diverse global teams. His depth of experience in the security space has allowed him to dive into areas of the business that require significant improvements and successfully transform them. From delivery services to product management, John has what it takes to be successful. I have personally learned a lot from his experience and mentoring and am excited to continue working with him. ”

“I had the opportunity to work with John during my time in Global Technology Services at IBM. He had a technical understanding of enterprise security an was able to convert this understanding to a high level of sales success. ”

“I've worked with John since 2007, when I took one of the most dificult decision to leave HP and Brazil...and move to IBM in Belgium. Since that, John was not only a good sponsor but a director that really care about people and it is always supporting them (in work and life side too). I wish every company should have leaders like him! Of course, John is one of the best security professional I've met but his ability and speed to learn, adapt and offer new services or solution is outstanding! Negotiation and communication skills...always covering all the layers, from technical to C-Level. I hope to work with John in the future, it is always a awesome!”

“I've worked with John in multiple capacities over the past twenty four months. John has the unique ability to take complex business and technology challenges and translate them into solutions that customers can understand and embrace. John's vision for how to address enterprise risk incorporates the right balance of people, process and technology to create comprehensive enterprise solutions for our clients. John's leadership in both complex solution sales and delivery is among his many strengths.”

“John is a great visionary and strategist within the Security Services business. John has worked with numerous organizations to help evaluate their current security strategy and evaluate risk and make recommendations on how to be more efficient and in turn reduce their overall risk and become more nimble in responding to porential security threats.”

“John is a dedicated leader who has a natural ability to pace set and always push the envelop for excellence by never being complacent. John is not only proficient and a technical expert in security and IT in general, but has a broad skill set ranging from business operations to sales. John is an man of ethics and conducts himself in a way that clients, employees, and colleagues have great respect and admiration for his character. I was fortunate to have worked with John for over 6 years and learned a lot from him during his tenure. He has my highest recommendations and I would work with him and/or for him any day of the week.”

“John Wheeler has deep technical expertise, compounded by personal finesse and fundamental consideration for seeking and satisfying customer needs. John is a hell of a guy, an expert in managed security services and someone who I feel is extremely trustworthy, accountable and capable of leading organizations to success. I whole heartedly recommend John Wheeler and look forward to the opportunity to work with him in the future.”

“I sincerely enjoyed working with John and I would be thrilled if our professional paths were to cross again someday. He is an approachable team player and I was consistently impressed with his passion for sales, marketing and product management. John is someone who is 100% committed to the success of any challenge that he undertakes and his intellect, strategic thinking, and results-oriented approach will be huge assets to any organization that he is part of.”

“A+ exec...detailed oriented and methodical in his thinking. Great people skills and very passionate about his solutions. An Exec...that has the "gets it " factor !”

“I worked directly for John or in an area supporting John for several years at IBM MSS. John was a tremendous manager with a unique ability to bridge the technical and non-technical teams. John led the team to developing our Vision for the future and successfully guided us to executing on our roadmap. John's professional and confident manner helped the team to successfully navigate through tricky client and internal situations as we grew and supported the business. I'm confident that John would excel in any high visibility executive position that requires significant energy and leadership.”

“John is an intelligent business professional with a keen understanding of IT security and its intersection with business. John delivers leadership, vision and a willingness to partner both within his organization and beyond. Regardless of the role John is in, he acts with integrity and decisiveness in order to get the job done. As a business leader, John is well respected by his internal colleagues, upper management and external customers. After observing John in both operational and sales leadership roles, it is clear that his innate leadership skills and strong integrity enable him to deliver value and results in most any business environment.”

“I worked with John for almost 7 years at ISS and IBM. Over those years, John showed an in-depth knowledge of the MSS business from both a sales and operational perspective. John demonstrated an excellent ability to analyze and solve very complex sales and technical issues. He understands how to effectively run a highly complex sales organization. I reported directly to John for almost two years. He was always willing to take the time to mentor me and help me work through issues and problems with my team. He took an interest in making sure that his direct reports were achieving their goals while advancing their careers. John always treated his employees fairly and with respect. I consider John to be one of the best managers I’ve had in my career.”

“It was a pleasure working in John's organization. He was a true leader, and always looked out for his staff. His ability to drive the business and take care of his teams earned him respect that he richly deserves. I would welcome the opportunity to work with him again in the future.”

“In the 10 years I worked with John he was always there at the ready. John possesses the intellect and ability to resolve complicated and strategic initiatives in the manner needed to set forth positive results. His leadership is by example versus fear and/or intimidation. I would recommend John Wheeler and his proven sales and management abilities for any present or future endeavor. He is a proven winner.”

“I've worked with John for several years. In 2010 as one of our North American leaders, he was instrumental in helping me maintain high customer satisfaction with one of IBM's largest security services clients, positioning us well to expand our footprint in 2011. He's a consummate professional, and passionate about the security business.”

“Over several years at IBM and ISS, I've found John to be great with customers, an intelligent and reasonable problem solver, and a respected leader. John will be a valuable asset to any organization.”

“I have had the privilege of working with or for John since the acquisition of ISS in 2006. During this time, John has displayed a keen sense of what was required to advance the business, championed changed, and provided strong leadership to the sales organization as the business grew. It was a pleasure working for John.”

“I have worked with John closely at IBM for the past 3+ years in my roles as the Global Alliance Manager during the ISS integration and more recently as the Global Operations Manager for the Managed Security Services Business Unit. During this time period I have had the privilege to see John in a senior management role within the MSS delivery organization and also in his transition to the North American sales manager role. In both roles I worked closely with John to address numerous global and complex business challenges. Through his experience in operations we were able to collaborate effectively and creative solutions to meet our clients business requirements. His unique combination of operational and sales experience allows him to translate client needs into pointed client solutions. While my experience working with John is valued, it does not compare to the value I place on the trusted relationship that we were able to build over the years. He is a values driven person and does not compromise in this regard. I look forward to continuing my relationship with John through work and personally as we continue to progress in our careers.”

“John has a solid understanding of the security business and market trends. His background in service delivery provides him a unique ability within the sales cycle to address customer expectations and set the course for customer satisfaction. John is a self starter with the ability to adapt to a teaming environment, while providing continued support for his direct reports.”

“John is the consummate professional with an impressive executive presence. John and I have worked closely during highly sensitive executive escalations on more than one occasion. In every case he represented IBM with an even-keeled demeanor inspiring confidence in the most demanding of clients. I have no doubt his experience, confidence, and communication skills will propel his career to the C-suite sooner than later.”

“John is a strong leader, communicator and manager. He has a deep technical knowledge and the capability to understand the challenges of a client and explain a solution clearly. He is an advocate for his customers while maintaining the objectives of his organization. John is an excellent speaker and does very well in one on one interactions with customers. When I needed an executive to speak to a mixed group of executives and technologists, John was my first choice.”

“John has been working in my organization for the past years. He has been a rock solid contributor but sponsor to the whole team. He is reliable, helpful, a good communicator and not afraid of taking initiatives. I really appreciated my collaboration and work with John.”

“John is an outstanding leader, one with both deep business acumen and unflinching integrity. He will always rise to the occasion.”

“John was one my favorite leaders at IBM. He always treated me with respect and I learned a lot from him. He was positve, a technical guru and led by example. He was viewed by all his team as the go-to guy on large transactions and helped me close many of my deals. I will miss working for him and wish him the best going forward.”

“John is an energetic and conscientious leader who is both customer and team focused. John will tirelessly attack any challenge from a holistic perspective, successfully adapting his methods and means and focusing on key attributes in order to achieve results. John is adept at forming and maintaining relationships and is a pleasure to work with.”

“John has great insight into to the security market and landscape. He is a strong manager and has earned the respect of those he works with and for.”

“John is a wonderful individual with a thoughtful presence and undeniable integrity. He seeks personal excellence in all areas of his life. John has outstanding decision making skills and always applies thorough analysis to all decision making, yet remains agile. John has excellent business acumen. His negotiating skills are fair but sharp, and he seeks mutually beneficial resolutions to conflict. John is a natural leader with a polished approach and high quality leadership skills. I have had the pleasure of working with John as a colleague both directly and indirectly - He has a tireless work ethic and is highly motivated. I highly recommend John for any executive or leadership role.”

“While working together with John at ISS (just before the acquistion); I truly believe it was his engagement within the Managed Services that led to the overall success of the business. While my team would find and manage the "alliance" relationships - it was through John that customers kept coming... and stayed! He was great with customer service, problem resolution and works extremely well under pressure.”

“I have worked with John for over 10 years, most of which as a direct report. During this time John had a key role in the business growth, accepted increasing responsibilites, and also experienced several business changes, some quite significant. John is a highly skilled leader in many ways, including how he leads people, projects, and by his thought leadership. John manages his teams through change with confidence, and he uses change as opportunity to produce positive outcomes. John is creative in solving problems for customers and the business, using his many established relationships, crossing barriers and not settling for the status quo. In addition he is very thoughtful and thorough in his decision making process. As a direct report to John for many years, I was challenged and supported, learned directly from him, and allowed to grow individually on my own. I greatly respect him as a business leader and as a mentor.”

“John is a great manager to work for or with. His skill set is broad and he excels at empowering his employees to develop their careers. John never hoards knowledge and is quick to impart it when asked. His leadership style played a key role in me getting to where I am today.”

“Having worked with John for almost 6 years he has the capability an the ability to run his business from a higher level executive perspective. John is always willing to work with his colleagues even in difficult challenges. He would be a value add to any organization. John has a keen eye for numbers and positive results.”

“John is an outstanding leader and has a true understanding of how to manage people while accomplishing the goals of the organization. John leads by example and utilizes positive reinforcment methods to motivate his staff. It is a true art to be able to lead a group of talented engineers and John accomplished this very well. The mark of a true leader is one who can shield their people from the noise while providing them with the tools they need to successfully accomplish their goals. John exceeded my expectations as a manager and helped prepare me to succeed in my current position.”

“Working with John was a pleasure. His dedication and leadership proved to be a key with successful results.”

“John is one of the best business people I've worked with. He has a keen understanding of how to detail and sell a solution's value. Maybe more importantly, he truly understands the end-customer's perspective. I highly recommend John.”

“John is one of the most intelligent and dedicated people that I have had the pleasure of working with. He takes the time to immerse himself into his work which allows him to develop a solid understanding of the business operations he's connected with. He will work aggressively and relentlessly to improve that operation. I've worked on dozens of successful projects with John in the past -- I've learned that he can be counted on to get things done. I look forward to working with him in the future.”

“John has the capability to dive deep on a particular issue but still has the ability to run his business from a higher level executive perspective. He is able to keep a positive attitude despite encountering some enormous challenges. He would be a value add to any organization.”

“John is an exceptional leader who is highly respected by both colleagues and customers. John's professionalism and business acumen is highly effective in leading and motivating individuals at all levels throughout an organization. He can relate to people in many ways and on many levels, which has helped him be successful in many different roles. I would without any reservation recommend John, as he would be a tremendous asset in any organization.”

“I have witnessed John build and run a delivery organization of highly skilled computer security personnel to support a multi-million dollar security services organization for a global customer base of small, medium and large enterprises. He has both advised and motivated me in my responsibilities. John has demonstrable technical knowledge of the computer security industry and he has strong management capabilities leading teams and developing organizations. Further, John works closely with customers, providing him with valuable market insight. John is in my estimation the quintessential computer security executive, capable in any role of leading a security services organization to success.”

“John is a professional and natural leader who is able to achieve business objectives without losing sight of his team's accomplishments. He is a strong communicator, very approachable, and knows when to be part of a team as opposed to the head of the team. Not only does he challenge others, but seeks challenges for himself. He values those he works with and consistently makes business decisions that result in team success.”

“I have had the pleasure of working with John in a variety of different roles over a 10 year period of time. John is a professional, senior and accomplished business leader. John was a top contributor and successful in every role he has held at ISS and IBM. He has a keen understanding of the security marketplace, business drivers, and how to accomplish aggressive sales growth and business performance. John would be an asset to any organization and could perform a variety of senior business roles given his wide background of professional experiences and accomplishments.”

“John is a passionate, dedicated professional who I have had the pleasure of working with over the last 2 plus years. In every instance when I have called upon John, he has provided expert advice in a professional manner. John's expertise and knowledge of our industry is without question second to none, I highly recommend John!”

“Having worked with John for 6+ years, he is consistently viewed as a results-oriented, proven leader with well developed problem-solving, decision making, and financial skills.”