SC Award Winners 2025 Marc van Zadelhoff -Security Executive of the Year

Since taking the helm at Mimecast in January 2024, Marc van Zadelhoff has steered the company through one of the most ambitious growth phases in its history — driving strategic acquisitions, deepening Mimecast’s cybersecurity vision, and positioning the firm as a leader in human risk management. Under his leadership, Mimecast acquired Elevate Security, Aware, and Code42, fueling the company’s connected Human Risk Management platform with cutting-edge innovation and expertise.

(For a complete list of all of this year's winners visit our 2025 SC Awards special coverage page.)

Marc’s global mindset and instinct for opportunity have been evident in Mimecast’s rapid geographic expansion, including new offices in Canada, Mexico, and Singapore. The company’s Canadian hub now serves as an Engineering Center of Excellence, focusing on AI and natural language processing. Meanwhile, Marc has reshaped the leadership bench, bringing in senior executives like Chief Transformation Officer Chris Wey and board member Amol Kulkarni to guide Mimecast’s next chapter.

His belief in visibility and accountability shapes the company’s culture. “Mimecast must lead from the front,” Marc has said, emphasizing that true cybersecurity leadership comes from internal discipline as much as product innovation. Employees gather at quarterly all-hands meetings, where Marc leads discussions focused on strategy, internal security, and the evolving threat landscape.

Zadelhoff’s leadership helped launch Mimecast Engage, a new training hub designed to “help organizations protect against human risk,” and delivered platform innovations like QR Code Protection and SharePoint coverage. With 74% of breaches caused by human behavior — and 80% of incidents tied to just 8% of users — Marc is focused on personalized, scalable defense. His forward-leaning leadership has transformed Mimecast into a company that doesn’t just respond to the threat landscape — it helps shape it.