Biographical Info

Kannan Perumal is a distinguished professional in the field of Information Security and Risk Management, currently serving as the Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at Applied Materials. With over two decades of experience in his field, he has developed and executed comprehensive global programs and strategies to govern enterprise risk, especially in the Semiconductor and Display sector. His expertise encompasses a range of areas, including security strategy, team building, strategy planning, and information protection. Kannan's career is characterized by his ability to lead large teams of cross-functional professionals in security and various aspects of information systems technology, people, and processes. His technical expertise combined with his business acumen has enabled him to turn around team performance through mentoring and individual development. Kannan has a comprehensive understanding of the skills needed to coordinate communications between colleagues, clients, and leadership, including board-level executives, positioning Information Security as a key strategic business partner. His skills in establishing innovative strategies have consistently led to the achievement of project, service, and program milestones on time and within budget. Kannan's agility and flexibility are evident in his ability to engage in business across multiple countries and cultures. Among his career achievements, Kannan has implemented cybersecurity controls to safeguard mission-critical intellectual property and employee information, achieving ISO 27001 certification. He has also successfully planned and executed various initiatives in Information Security, Risk Management, Privacy, Intellectual Property Protection, Monitoring, and Security Awareness. He has improved security review processes, designed and implemented a risk-based global insider risk management program, and implemented a third-party risk management program along with executing a product security assurance program. Prior to his current role, Kannan has held various positions at Applied Materials, including Managing Director and Chief Information Security Officer, and Senior Director, Chief Information Security Officer. He also has a rich early career background, having worked as an Information Technology Consultant for Taos and Mastech Inc., and as a Customer Engineer for CMC Ltd. Kannan's educational background includes a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics & Communication Engineering from Thiagarajar College of Engineering.