Amazon Web Services has named Chet Kapoor as its new vice president of security services and observability. Kapoor will report directly to AWS CEO Matt Garman and work alongside Chief Information Security Officer Amy Herzog.
In a company-wide email, Garman emphasized the importance of the appointment, noting that “outstanding security and operations in the cloud is of vital importance to every single one of our customers” and that as customer cloud environments grow more complex, “providing outstanding external security and observability services has become a more important part of our business.”
Several senior leaders, Gee Rittenhouse, Nandini Ramani, Georgia Sitaras, and Brad Marshall, will now report to Kapoor. Kurt Kufeld, who led security services for over a decade, will take on a new role within Amazon. These changes aim to ensure clear leadership for AWS’s security services as the company expands its operations.
Kapoor’s Experience and Relevance
Kapoor brings extensive experience in enterprise software and platform management. He was most recently chairman and CEO of DataStax, where he led Astra DB, a cloud database built on the open-source Apache Cassandra project.
At DataStax, Kapoor guided the addition of new features for real-time applications, helping businesses manage large-scale data securely. Before DataStax, he led Apigee, transforming the company into a leading API management platform before its acquisition by Google in 2016. He also held executive roles at IBM and BEA Systems.
Garman described Kapoor as bringing a “customer-obsessed mindset and deep understanding of platform services,” citing these qualities as critical for overseeing security and observability.
Kapoor’s record shows experience in running complex software platforms and managing operations that handle critical business information, aligning with AWS’s need to maintain high standards for its services
Ensuring Reliable Services
As AWS continues to expand its offerings, security has become increasingly important. Garman explained that Kapoor’s role will cover initiatives across security, governance, and operational oversight. He will work with internal teams, customers, and partners to maintain reliable services as the company grows.
The appointment comes amid changes in AWS leadership. Matt Wood, former VP of AI, and Vasi Philomin, VP of generative AI, left the company, while executives like Julia White from Microsoft have joined.
Garman emphasized that Kapoor’s experience will help AWS maintain consistent service standards. He noted that Kapoor will guide teams, manage operations, and ensure AWS services remain reliable for customers.