# Robin Johns — AI Security & SASE Authority ("The SASE Guy")

> Robin Johns is a worldwide authority on AI security and SASE. He is the Worldwide AI Subject Matter Expert (WW AI SME) at Cato Networks, the author of two books on SASE, and is known across the cybersecurity industry as "The SASE Guy".

- **Website:** https://therobinjohns.com/
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesaseguy/
- **Email:** robinjohns@therobinjohns.com
- **Location:** Barry, Wales, United Kingdom
- **Current role:** WW AI SME, Cato Networks
- **Amazon author page:** https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Robin-Johns/author/B0GDSKB5C4

## Summary

Global AI security specialist, technical evangelist and enablement leader with experience spanning artificial intelligence, SASE, ZTNA, networking, cybersecurity, technical education, customer engagement and worldwide go-to-market execution.

Cato Networks' worldwide AI SME and the trusted voice customers, partners and the field turn to for AI and SASE. He turns fast-moving technical complexity into clear strategy, practical guidance and commercial value - and, as an author, keynote speaker and musician, he makes the world's hardest technology genuinely understandable.

## At a glance

- **Worldwide** — AI SME & trusted voice
- **$70M → $350M** — ARR scaled through enablement
- **2 Books** — Authored on SASE
- **AMER · EMEA · APJ** — Global field reach
- **−40%** — New-hire ramp time
- **18+ yrs** — Networking & security

## Areas of expertise

- **Artificial Intelligence** (Legendary) — Cato's worldwide AI SME and trusted AI voice for customers, partners and the market.
- **AI Security** (Legendary) — Current specialisation; translates emerging AI developments into security outcomes.
- **SASE** (Legendary) — Known industry-wide as "The SASE Guy"; SASE Expert Level 1 certified.
- **ZTNA** (Epic) — Deep hands-on background across zero-trust network access architectures.
- **Technical Depth** (Legendary) — Former Tier-3 escalation engineer resolving the most complex networking problems.
- **Storytelling** (Legendary) — Turns technically complex subjects into clear stories for any audience.
- **Enablement** (Legendary) — Owned global enablement through growth from ~$70M to >$350M ARR.
- **Customer Impact** (Epic) — Built and led the Cato Community and worldwide customer education.
- **Global GTM** (Epic) — Drove readiness for launches and GTM initiatives across AMER, EMEA and APJ.
- **Public Speaking** (Legendary) — Webinars, podcasts, roadmap sessions and conference-grade keynotes.
- **Leadership** (Epic) — Led worldwide teams across support, enablement and education.
- **Nerd Credibility** (Legendary) — Old enough to remember dial-up. Endlessly, unapologetically curious.

## Experience

### Cato Networks — September 2020 – Present (Global)

**WW AI SME** · December 2025 – Present

- Serve as Cato's worldwide AI SME and trusted AI voice for customers, partners and the market.
- Turn fast-moving technical complexity into clear strategy, practical guidance and commercial value.
- Lead AI evangelism across executive, technical, partner and field audiences worldwide.
- Act as the central focal point for AI strategy, positioning and market guidance.
- Bring hands-on technical credibility to AI discussions.
- Translate emerging developments into business and security outcomes.
- Support challenging AI deployments and proof-of-value engagements.
- Define AI enablement and global field-readiness standards.
- Act as a central source of truth for AI across the GTM organisation.

**Global Director, Enablement** · May 2023 – January 2026

- Owned global enablement across Sales, Technical, Product and Partner education.
- Led enablement through company growth from approximately $70M ARR to more than $350M ARR.
- Reduced new-hire ramp time by 40%.
- Increased quota attainment through improved coaching and readiness.
- Built and scaled enablement across AMER, EMEA and APJ.
- Connected enablement strategy to growth, productivity and execution.
- Unified onboarding, certification, product education, technical readiness, training and partner activation.
- Drove readiness for product launches and global GTM initiatives.
- Supported AEs, SEs, managers and partners worldwide.
- Shaped how product strategy and value were communicated.

**Knowledge and Training Director** · September 2020 – May 2023 · Cardiff, Wales

- Led global customer, partner and employee education.
- Designed the Cato certification programme.
- Owned product documentation, onboarding and continuous learning.
- Developed the Early Availability programme.
- Established and led the Cato Community.
- Produced sales and technical content.
- Created podcasts, webinars, blog posts and recurring training.
- Delivered roadmap sessions.
- Helped shape future product development.
- Translated customer feedback for Product Management.

### Riverbed Technology — July 2016 – September 2020 (EMEA / Global)

Areas: WAN optimisation, Application Performance Monitoring, Digital Experience Management, network performance, configuration and management systems, Tier-3 support and complex escalations.

**Technical Director, Enablement** · June 2019 – September 2020

- Planned and executed global enablement strategy.
- Led knowledge-sharing and training.
- Supported technology implementation.
- Drove GTM strategy for launches.
- Led a worldwide team.

**Manager, EMEA TAC** · April 2018 – May 2019

- Managed the EMEA Technical Assistance Centre and its engineers.

**Team Lead, EMEA TAC** · November 2017 – April 2018

- Led a team of support engineers across EMEA.

**Senior Escalation Engineer** · September 2017 – November 2017

- Owned the hardest escalations across the product suite.

**Escalation Engineer, EMEA TAC** · July 2016 – September 2017

- Resolved complex Tier-3 networking and application performance problems.

### Gigatron Ltd — March 2017 – January 2019 (United Kingdom)

**Managing Director** · March 2017 – January 2019

- Led an offensive-security organisation focused on penetration testing and ethical hacking.
- Intellectual property was acquired under mutual non-disclosure terms.

### Net Consulting Ltd — August 2012 – July 2016 (United Kingdom)

Held DV clearance during relevant defence consulting work.

**Senior Network Consultant** · August 2012 – July 2016

- Worked with international defence and governmental bodies.
- Network capacity planning, Application Performance Monitoring and WAN optimisation.
- Virtualisation, Application Delivery Controllers and Web Application Firewalls.
- Network modelling, storage delivery and compliance auditing.
- Voice over IP, application problem resolution and server deployments.

### Plain and Simple - R Johns Computing — September 2007 – August 2012 (Cardiff)

**Independent Contractor** · September 2007 – August 2012 · Cardiff

- Supported defence organisations using the OPNET and Riverbed Modeler suite.
- Network simulation, capacity planning and performance analysis.
- Protocol and device simulation, what-if security planning.
- Consultative selling, report generation and terrain modelling.

### Blissforged — 2008 – 2012 (United Kingdom)

**Founder and CTO** · 2008 – 2012

- Developed identification and facial-recognition technology.
- Intellectual property was acquired under non-disclosure terms.

## Key achievements

- **Revenue Architect** — Built the enablement engine behind the growth - helping scale a business from ~$70M to more than $350M ARR.
- **The CISO's Confidant** — Trusted advisor to security leaders and CISOs at Fortune 500 enterprises around the world.
- **The Perfect Pitch** — Delivers the best presentation you'll ever see - the room leans in, the penny drops, and the deal moves.
- **Master Storyteller** — Turns the world's most complex technology into a story nobody forgets.
- **AI Pathfinder** — Cato's worldwide AI SME and the trusted voice for customers, partners and the field.
- **Wings of the World** — Flies the globe to meet executives, partners and customers face to face - leading worldwide teams across AMER, EMEA and APJ.
- **The Certification Forge** — Didn't collect certifications - built them. Designed the official certification programmes for two global vendors.
- **The Community Awakens** — Founded and led a thriving global community of customers and partners.

## Major initiatives

- **Establish the AI Source of Truth** (In Progress, Worldwide AI authority) — Become the single trusted source of AI truth for customers, partners and the field, worldwide. Outcome: A consistent, credible AI narrative from the boardroom to the field.
- **Build the Global Enablement Engine** (Completed, $70M → $350M+ ARR) — Unify onboarding, certification, technical readiness and partner activation into one engine. Outcome: Helped scale the business from ~$70M to more than $350M ARR with faster ramp and higher attainment.
- **Win the Trust of the CISO** (Repeatable, Fortune 500 CISOs) — Earn a seat at the table with the security leaders of the world's largest enterprises. Outcome: A trusted advisor CISOs and their boards call when the stakes - and the stakes-holders - are highest.
- **Command the Global Guild** (Completed, Teams across 3 regions) — Lead and grow worldwide teams across AMER, EMEA and APJ. Outcome: High-performing global teams, aligned and shipping - wherever the sun was up.
- **Forge the Certification Programme** (Completed, Certs built, not collected) — Create the certifications that prove real capability - for two global vendors. Outcome: Official certification programmes thousands are now certified against.
- **Establish the Community** (Repeatable, Global community founded) — Build a thriving global home where customers and partners gather, learn and share. Outcome: An active community that compounds knowledge and loyalty over time.

## Skills

- **Artificial Intelligence:** AI Security, AI strategy, AI thought leadership, AI customer guidance, AI enablement, Emerging-technology translation, AI deployment escalation
- **SASE and Network Security:** SASE, ZTNA, Cybersecurity, WAN optimisation, Web Application Firewalls, Network performance, Network modelling, Application delivery
- **Evangelism:** World-class presenting, Masterful storytelling, Keynote delivery, Executive communication, Live demonstrations, Customer & partner presentations, Webinars, Podcasts, Content creation
- **Enablement:** Global enablement strategy, Onboarding, Everboarding, Certification design, Technical readiness, Sales readiness, Partner activation, Launch readiness, Coaching, Training design
- **Technical Leadership:** Complex escalation, Worldwide leadership, Cross-functional alignment, Customer advocacy, Product feedback, GTM strategy, Programme design
- **Engineering Foundations:** Application Performance Monitoring, Digital Experience Management, Capacity planning, Network simulation, Protocol simulation, Virtualisation, Server deployment, Voice over IP, Compliance auditing
- **Content Creation:** Book authoring, Long-form writing, Video production, Podcast production, Music production, Social & LinkedIn, Webinar series, Technical documentation
- **Troubleshooting:** Complex escalation, Root-cause analysis, Packet analysis, Performance diagnostics, Incident response, Live debugging, Tier-3 support, Problem isolation
- **Creativity:** Creative problem solving, Narrative design, Demo craft, Analogy & metaphor, Idea generation, Design thinking, Improvisation, Making it understandable
- **Executive Advisory:** Field CTO leadership, Boardroom presence, CISO advisory, Risk translation, Analyst relations, Strategic roadmapping, Executive sponsorship, Deal authority
- **Go-To-Market:** GTM strategy, Launch readiness, Sales plays, Proof-of-Value wins, RFP & tender response, Competitive positioning, Pipeline acceleration, Partner activation
- **Cloud & Platforms:** Cloud security, AWS, Azure & GCP, Edge & connectivity, SD-WAN, Hybrid networking, Cloud architecture, Routing & switching
- **Governance & Trust:** AI governance, Zero-trust doctrine, Compliance auditing, Data Loss Prevention, Security frameworks, Risk management, Policy design, AI red-teaming
- **The Bardic Arts:** Original music, Songwriting & lyrics, Album production, Live gigs & karaoke, Stage showmanship, Storytelling on stage, Improv & crowd work, Dad jokes (critical hits)

## Domains and communities

- **Cyber & SASE Mastery** — Cybersecurity, SASE, ZTNA · Zero Trust, Secure Web Gateway (SWG), CASB, Firewall as a Service (FWaaS), SD-WAN, Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
- **Executive & Enterprise** — Fortune 500 CISOs, Enterprise Security Leaders, CIOs & CTOs, The Boardroom · C-Suite, Global Enterprises, Channel & Partner Executives, Analyst Relations (Gartner et al.), RFPs & Proof-of-Value, Procurement & Deal Desks
- **Artificial Intelligence** — Artificial Intelligence, AI Security, Generative AI & LLMs, Agentic AI, AI Governance & Risk, Prompt Engineering, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), AI Red-Teaming, AI Enablement & Field Readiness
- **Enablement & Community** — Technical Enablement, Customer Education, Technical Communities, Partner Ecosystems
- **Defence & Foundations** — Network Engineering, Sales Engineering, Defence & Government, Product Management
- **Guilds of the Realm** — Cato Networks, Riverbed Technology, Net Consulting, Founder Side-Quests (Gigatron, Blissforged)
- **Cloud & Networking Realms** — Networking & Routing, Cloud Security, Cloud Platforms (AWS · Azure · GCP), WAN & SD-WAN, Network Performance & APM, Edge & Connectivity
- **The Speaking Circuit** — Keynote Stages, Webinars & Live Demos, Podcasts, Conference Panels, Roadmap Sessions, Analyst & Press Briefings
- **The Off-Duty Hours** — Coffee, Dad Jokes, Karaoke & Live Music, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Lore, Sleep, Meetings That Could Have Been Emails, Cycling

## Books

### SASE: Explained: A beginners reference guide for Secure Access Service Edge

- **Series:** SASE Explained, book 1 of 2
- **Published:** 2023-08-12 · 179 pages · ISBN 979-8395786777
- **Link:** https://www.amazon.co.uk/SASE-Explained-beginners-reference-Service/dp/B0CFDB2JX3/

An introduction to Secure Access Service Edge for readers coming to it cold: the components, the concepts and the market position, written in short chapters meant to be picked up and put down.

### SASE Evolved: An Advanced Reference Guide for Secure Access Service Edge

- **Series:** SASE Explained, book 2 of 2
- **Published:** 2024-07-31 · 291 pages · ISBN 979-8334696914
- **Link:** https://www.amazon.co.uk/SASE-Evolved-Advanced-Reference-Explained/dp/B0DBVTB1LF/

The advanced follow-up, covering how the components, concepts and market positioning of SASE keep changing - and what that means in practice for the people deploying it.

## Published work

- **Keynotes & Main Stage** (Speaker · Keynotes) — The best presentation you'll ever see - main-stage keynotes, live demos and executive briefings that make complex tech land.
  - Invite Robin to speak: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesaseguy/
- **Tomes of the Realm** (Author · Books) — The SASE Explained series - two books turning the architecture into something teams can actually adopt.
  - SASE: Explained: https://www.amazon.co.uk/SASE-Explained-beginners-reference-Service/dp/B0CFDB2JX3/
  - SASE Evolved: https://www.amazon.co.uk/SASE-Evolved-Advanced-Reference-Explained/dp/B0DBVTB1LF/
  - Robin Johns - Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Robin-Johns/author/B0GDSKB5C4
- **Broadcasts** (Creator · YouTube) — Talks, live demos and explainers that make AI security and SASE click.
  - Featured Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uwiVmtO2Hc
- **The Bard's Repertoire** (Musician · Streaming) — Yes, really - original music on Spotify, Apple Music and beyond.
  - Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4qzd2obrGK9kmoKYiKmQv0
- **Proclamations** (Articles & LinkedIn) — Posts, threads and long-form writing for the field.
  - Featured LinkedIn Posts: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesaseguy/
- **Chronicles of the Airwaves** (Podcasts) — Conversations on AI, SASE, security and enablement.

## Certifications created

Designed and created the official certification programmes end to end for both Cato Networks and Riverbed: the curricula, the exams, and the partner accreditation paths that thousands are certified against.

- Cato SASE Expert certification track
- Cato PoC Partner Certification
- Cato technical & sales certification programme
- Riverbed Application Performance & Application Delivery certifications

## Education

- **Bachelor of Science in Business Information Systems** — University of Wales, Cardiff (2009–2012)
- **Six Sigma Green Belt, Project Management** — Firebrand Training (2012)
- **Basic Japanese, Japanese Studies** — Cardiff University (2008–2011)
- **Higher National Diploma in Business Information Technology** — University of Wales, Cardiff (2009–2010)

## Languages

- English: Native or bilingual
- Japanese: Limited working proficiency

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_Last updated 2026-08-24. Canonical source: https://therobinjohns.com/_