Phil Venables, former Google Cloud CISO, has joined Ballistic Ventures as a Venture Partner. The move marks a major shift for one of cybersecurity’s most respected figures, bringing his decades of experience into the startup space.
Over his career, Venables has held top security roles at major institutions like Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, and most recently, Google Cloud. Now, instead of leading security teams inside large corporations, he’s focusing on helping build the next generation of cybersecurity startups.
He’s no stranger to the broader security community. Venables co-founded the Center for Internet Security (CIS) and served on its board for six years. He’s also involved with organizations like MITRE’s Science and Technology Advisory Committee, HackerOne, Interos, and Veza. Even after stepping away from his Google CISO role, he remains a Strategic Security Advisor to the company.
In addition, he helped lead Sheltered Harbor, an initiative designed to protect the U.S. financial system in case of a catastrophic cyberattack. That experience, paired with his board positions, gives him a rare level of insight into both enterprise and critical infrastructure risks.
Speaking about the new role, Venables said he’s excited to “shape the future of cybersecurity in a different way.” He described Ballistic Ventures as “a team deeply focused on scaling security innovation,” and said the firm’s mission aligns closely with his own goal of building resilient systems across industries.
As a Venture Partner, Venables will support early-stage companies tackling today’s most urgent threats. He plans to advise founders, share best practices, and help startups avoid the common pitfalls he’s seen over decades in the field.
With Venables on board, Ballistic Ventures gains a strategic edge—one rooted in frontline security experience and a deep understanding of industry needs. And for the broader tech world, it’s another signal that the future of cybersecurity will be shaped by those who’ve lived it from the inside out.
