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Smallstep, a San Francisco-based Device Identity Platform, announced on July 16, 2025, the expansion of its executive leadership team to support its growth and strategic initiatives. Geoff Leonard joins as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), and Josh Drake has been promoted to Chief Technology Officer (CTO), reinforcing Smallstep’s focus on scaling its certificate-based access solutions for modern enterprises.
Announced July 16, 2025, in San Francisco.
Geoff Leonard appointed CRO, bringing 20+ years in cybersecurity and SaaS.
Josh Drake promoted to CTO, leveraging expertise from Minted and Smallstep.
Aligns with rising demand for Zero Trust, certificate-based access solutions.
Smallstep named Top 10 Finalist in RSA Conference 2025 Innovation Sandbox.
Sponsoring Black Hat USA 2025 to showcase device identity use cases.
Geoff Leonard, the new CRO, brings over 20 years of experience scaling revenue and building global sales teams in cybersecurity and enterprise SaaS. His career includes key roles at Social Mobile (CRO), Clevertap (GM of North America), Leanplum, and Google, where he contributed to the 2014 acquisition of Divide. At Smallstep, Leonard will lead global sales, customer success, and strategic partnerships to accelerate market adoption.
Josh Drake, promoted to CTO after joining Smallstep in 2022, has driven engineering excellence with his expertise in scalable systems and software optimization, honed during a seven-year tenure at Minted. He will advance Smallstep’s platform innovation, technical strategy, and engineering execution. “Geoff and Josh’s depth of expertise and strategic vision are unparalleled,” said Mike Malone, CEO and Founder of Smallstep, emphasizing their role in scaling global presence and innovation.
Smallstep’s platform replaces static credentials with hardware-attested, device-bound certificates, enabling secure, automated, and user-friendly Zero Trust access for infrastructure, Wi-Fi, SSH, and SaaS applications. Its proprietary technology issues short-lived credentials based on cryptographic proof of device trust, addressing vulnerabilities in traditional SCEP-based authorization. Named a Top 10 Finalist in the RSA Conference 2025 Innovation Sandbox, Smallstep is recognized for its leadership in device-level Zero Trust security.
The leadership expansion aligns with growing enterprise demand for secure access solutions, as organizations shift to cryptographic, device-bound certificates. Smallstep is sponsoring Black Hat USA 2025 (booth #5627) to showcase real-world use cases for device identity. Social sentiment on X reflects enthusiasm, with posts highlighting Smallstep’s strategic hires as a catalyst for growth in the cybersecurity market, per @CIOInfluence.
The global Zero Trust security market is projected to reach $66.7 billion by 2028, growing at a 17% CAGR, per MarketsandMarkets, driven by rising cyber threats and remote work. Smallstep’s focus on certificate-based access positions it to capture this demand, though some note challenges in integrating Zero Trust with legacy systems. The company’s leadership changes and RSA recognition signal strong momentum in addressing these needs.
Smallstep’s appointment of Geoff Leonard and promotion of Josh Drake underscore its commitment to scaling innovation and market presence. By enhancing its Device Identity Platform, Smallstep is poised to lead the enterprise shift toward secure, Zero Trust access solutions.
Smallstep is the world’s first Device Identity Platform™, enabling Zero Trust, certificate-based access to infrastructure, applications, and networks. Built in partnership with Apple and Google, Smallstep uses cryptographic attestation and short-lived, hardware-backed credentials to replace passwords, SSH keys, and VPN clients. By integrating with tools like Jamf, Intune, and Okta, Smallstep ensures that only trusted users on compliant devices can access sensitive systems—delivering true Zero Trust security without user friction.
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