KnowBe4 Accelerating Business Growth in Japan Amid Rising Cybersecurity Threats
KnowBe4, the world's largest provider of security awareness training and phishing prevention platforms (Headquarters: Florida, USA; Founder and CEO: Stu Sjouwerman), is pleased to announce that Kazhiro Chikara has been appointed as Country Manager of KnowBe4 Japan G.K. Chikara has led sales divisions in global companies for over 20 years, including Accenture, Akamai Technologies, and Dell Technologies. Most recently, he served as the Head of Manufacturing and Services at Red Hat, where he played a crucial role in driving digital transformation for enterprises.
KnowBe4 is used by more than 65,000 organizations worldwide and has been implemented by over 500 companies in Japan, including top manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies.
Stu Sjouwerman, Founder and CEO of KnowBe4 stated, “We are thrilled to welcome Kazhiro Chikara, who brings extensive experience in the IT industry and exceptional management skills, to our team. Under his leadership, we are confident that our growth strategy will accelerate, leading to significant advancements in our business in Japan. For KnowBe4, the Japanese market is of critical importance, and we believe that strengthening our relationships with customers and partners is vital. Under Mr. Chikara’s leadership, we will continue to deliver value to our customers, helping to protect their organizations securely.”
“As cybersecurity threats continue to escalate, the sophistication of attacks targeting individuals and organizations is increasing. KnowBe4 supports companies in defending against security threats that target the ‘human’ element of cybersecurity. By leveraging KnowBe4’s global expertise and extensive resources, and enhancing content and support tailored to the Japanese market, we are fully committed to creating a secure and safe digital society,” said Kazhiro Chikara, Country Manager of KnowBe4 Japan G.K.
Kazhiro Chikara began his career in 2002 at Itochu Techno-Solutions, handling major corporate accounts in the telecommunications industry. He then moved to Accenture, managing major corporate accounts in manufacturing and distribution services sectors. At Akamai Technologies, he served as the Director of Manufacturing Sales and the Western Japan Sales Director. In 2020, he joined Dell Technologies, where he led IT transformation initiatives for major clients. Later, as Head of Manufacturing and Services at Red Hat, he supported and managed DX initiatives across manufacturing, distribution services, and energy sectors.
About KnowBe4:
KnowBe4 is the world's largest integrated platform provider, focused on building security culture and human defense layers through security awareness training and phishing simulation and analysis. Founded in August 2010 by IT and data security expert Stu Sjouwerman in Tampa Bay, Florida, KnowBe4 focuses on overcoming the "human factor" in security by raising awareness among employees about threats like ransomware, CEO fraud, business email compromise (BEC), and sophisticated social engineering tactics. As of September 2023, more than 65,000 companies and organizations have adopted KnowBe4 to build a human firewall as the last line of defense. For more information about KnowBe4, please visit www.knowbe4.jp.
