F5 Executive and Leadership Team

August, 2026

Leadership Overview

F5 has 8 executives leading key functions including strategy, product innovation, marketing, and human capital management.

Focused on multi-cloud application services and enterprise security, F5 drives the evolution of software-defined ecosystems to ensure global application availability, performance, and protection across any infrastructure.

Leadership Roles at F5

  • Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer - Francois Locoh-Donou
  • Chief Executive Officer & Founder - Grant Wernick
  • Principal Corporate Strategist. Office of the Chief Operating Officer - Blake Cizek
  • Chief Marketing Officer - John Maddison
  • Engineer, Security Products and Strategy, Office of the Chief Technology Officer - Ken Arora
  • Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector - Stephen Wallace
  • Chief Technology Officer, Office of (Octo) & Innovation Ambassador - Shain Singh
  • Chief People Officer & Executive Vice President - Cathy Peterman
  • Francois Locoh-Donou - Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer

    Francois Locoh-Donou, the Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer at F5, directs the overarching corporate vision and global business strategy. Overseeing the transition from hardware-centric models to agile, software-defined application services, the Chief Executive Officer ensures alignment across all product lines. This leadership role involves managing complex multi-cloud environments and securing market dominance in enterprise web security. By prioritizing innovation in application delivery networking, Francois Locoh-Donou maintains the competitive edge of the organization. The Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer coordinates with the Board to drive long-term growth and operational efficiency. Through the expansion of managed cloud-native security services, the executive secures the digital infrastructure of global clients. Ultimately, the Chief Executive Officer fosters a culture of technical excellence, ensuring that all business units remain focused on delivering high-performance solutions that protect critical corporate portals against sophisticated infrastructure attacks and automated system breaches.
    Francois Locoh-Donou

    Grant Wernick - Chief Executive Officer & Founder

    Grant Wernick, the Chief Executive Officer & Founder at F5, architects the foundational principles of the organization while driving specialized initiatives in application visibility. Overseeing the development of high-performance virtual appliances, the Chief Executive Officer & Founder ensures that modern business services maintain continuous availability during unpredictable demand spikes. This leadership role involves deep integration with engineering teams to refine the core technology framework that inspects incoming network requests. By optimizing the interaction between global users and microservices, Grant Wernick directly impacts the scalability of the software ecosystem. The Chief Executive Officer & Founder manages the strategic roadmap for edge network performance, ensuring that data flows remain fluid despite congested server arrays. Through constant refinement of adaptive behavioral mitigation tools, the executive insulates customer-facing applications from breaches. Ultimately, the Chief Executive Officer & Founder secures the long-term technical trajectory of the company by championing innovation in the multi-cloud sector.
    Grant Wernick

    Blake Cizek - Principal Corporate Strategist. Office of the Chief Operating Officer

    Blake Cizek, the Principal Corporate Strategist. Office of the Chief Operating Officer at F5, architects the operational frameworks that support the transition to software-defined ecosystems. Overseeing the alignment of internal resources with the broader multi-cloud strategy, the Principal Corporate Strategist. Office of the Chief Operating Officer ensures that business units function with peak efficiency. This leadership role involves analyzing infrastructure requirements to optimize the delivery of virtual appliances and security services. By streamlining internal processes, Blake Cizek supports the scaling of global microservices and application delivery networking. The Principal Corporate Strategist. Office of the Chief Operating Officer coordinates with the Chief Operating Officer to mitigate risks associated with rapid digital transformation. Through the implementation of data-driven decision-making, the executive enhances the agility of the organization. Ultimately, the Principal Corporate Strategist. Office of the Chief Operating Officer secures operational stability by ensuring that all internal systems remain synchronized with the evolving needs of the enterprise web security market.

    John Maddison - Chief Marketing Officer

    John Maddison, the Chief Marketing Officer at F5, directs the global go-to-market strategy and brand positioning for the entire suite of application delivery networking solutions. Overseeing the communication of complex software-defined security value propositions, the Chief Marketing Officer ensures that enterprise clients understand the benefits of multi-cloud visibility. This leadership role involves aligning marketing campaigns with the technical requirements of the public computing cloud and edge network sectors. By analyzing market trends and competitive landscapes, John Maddison drives demand for managed cloud-native security services. The Chief Marketing Officer collaborates with product teams to translate technical capabilities into clear business outcomes for global customers. Through the execution of targeted outreach programs, the executive expands the footprint of the organization across diverse international markets. Ultimately, the Chief Marketing Officer secures the market position of the company by articulating the critical importance of application layer protection and performance optimization in modern digital environments.
    John Maddison

    Ken Arora - Engineer, Security Products and Strategy, Office of the Chief Technology Officer

    Ken Arora, the Engineer, Security Products and Strategy, Office of the Chief Technology Officer at F5, directs the technical development of adaptive behavioral mitigation tools. Overseeing the engineering of security protocols that inspect incoming network requests, the Engineer, Security Products and Strategy, Office of the Chief Technology Officer ensures that malicious traffic vectors remain blocked. This leadership role involves deep collaboration with the Office of the Chief Technology Officer to refine the core technology framework. By architecting solutions that compress heavy data packages, Ken Arora enhances the performance of customer-facing applications. The Engineer, Security Products and Strategy, Office of the Chief Technology Officer manages the integration of security features across public computing clouds and localized physical infrastructure. Through the continuous monitoring of system breaches, the executive maintains the integrity of the application layer. Ultimately, the Engineer, Security Products and Strategy, Office of the Chief Technology Officer secures the digital assets of global clients by driving innovation in enterprise web security.

    Stephen Wallace - Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector

    Stephen Wallace, the Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector at F5, directs the technical strategy for government and institutional clients. Overseeing the deployment of application delivery networking solutions within highly regulated environments, the Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector ensures that critical portals remain accessible during high-traffic intervals. This leadership role involves tailoring software-defined ecosystems to meet the unique security requirements of public sector entities. By architecting scalable cloud infrastructure, Stephen Wallace supports the digital transformation of government services. The Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector collaborates with regional teams to drive North American initiatives and broader market reach. Through the implementation of advanced web security protocols, the executive insulates public sector applications from sophisticated infrastructure attacks. Ultimately, the Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector secures the operational continuity of essential services by providing robust, automated optimization and visibility tools that function seamlessly across any combination of localized and cloud-based infrastructure.
    Stephen Wallace

    Shain Singh - Chief Technology Officer, Office of (Octo) & Innovation Ambassador

    Shain Singh, the Chief Technology Officer, Office of (Octo) & Innovation Ambassador at F5, directs the exploration of emerging technologies and future-proofing the product portfolio. Overseeing the research and development of next-generation application services, the Chief Technology Officer, Office of (Octo) & Innovation Ambassador ensures that the organization remains at the forefront of the multi-cloud sector. This leadership role involves fostering innovation across the entire engineering organization to solve complex challenges in application delivery. By championing new methodologies for balancing analytical computing requests, Shain Singh drives the evolution of the core technology framework. The Chief Technology Officer, Office of (Octo) & Innovation Ambassador collaborates with global teams to identify opportunities for software-defined growth. Through the promotion of adaptive behavioral mitigation, the executive enhances the security posture of the company. Ultimately, the Chief Technology Officer, Office of (Octo) & Innovation Ambassador secures the long-term relevance of the organization by bridging the gap between current market needs and future technological possibilities.

    Cathy Peterman - Chief People Officer & Executive Vice President

    Cathy Peterman, the Chief People Officer & Executive Vice President at F5, directs the human capital strategy and organizational development initiatives. Overseeing the recruitment and retention of top-tier engineering and security talent, the Chief People Officer & Executive Vice President ensures that the workforce remains aligned with the mission of the company. This leadership role involves cultivating a culture of innovation that supports the transition to software-defined ecosystems. By implementing comprehensive training programs, Cathy Peterman enhances the technical capabilities of the global team. The Chief People Officer & Executive Vice President collaborates with the C-suite to drive organizational change and operational efficiency. Through the management of diverse talent pools, the executive supports the expansion of managed cloud-native security services. Ultimately, the Chief People Officer & Executive Vice President secures the future success of the organization by building a high-performing, inclusive environment that attracts the best minds in the multi-cloud and application delivery networking sectors.
    Cathy Peterman

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    Frequently Asked Questions Regarding F5 Top Executives and Leadership Team

    Who leads F5?
    F5 is led by Francois Locoh-Donou (Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer), along with executives such as Grant Wernick (Chief Executive Officer & Founder) and Blake Cizek (Principal Corporate Strategist. Office of the Chief Operating Officer).
    Who is part of F5’s executive team?
    The executive team of F5 includes leaders such as Francois Locoh-Donou (Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer), Grant Wernick (Chief Executive Officer & Founder), Blake Cizek (Principal Corporate Strategist. Office of the Chief Operating Officer) and other senior executives.
    How many executives does F5 have?
    F5 has 8 executives leading key business areas.
    What roles are included in F5’s leadership team?
    The leadership team of F5 includes roles such as Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Chief Executive Officer & Founder, Principal Corporate Strategist. Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, Engineer, Security Products and Strategy, Office of the Chief Technology Officer.