Flexport appoints former Salesforce.com executives on board as CDO & CISO

April 19, 2019: Freight forwarder Flexport has appointed Mehmet H. Goker as chief data officer (CDO) and Kevin Paige as a chief information security officer (CISO). 

"Flexport is transforming freight forwarding with its data and technology-first mindset. Hiring top talent for the CDO and CISO roles was an extremely important priority for us. Data and security are at the heart of the operating system for global trade. We were fortunate to attract a CDO and a CISO with strong experience and a global perspective. Mehmet and Kevin's contributions will help our clients drive their businesses forward and will help Flexport become the most trusted company in global trade," said Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen.

Goker will be responsible for strengthening and scaling Flexport's data and analytics functions. As CDO, he will oversee how data is collected, analysed and used to build predictive models, translating to better time estimates, delivery of focused services and predictive alerts to improve performance and products. Prior to Flexport, he was the VP of Data and Analytics at SurveyMonkey and VP of Business Data Science at Salesforce.com. He also spent time as Research Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers and started his career at DaimlerChrysler Research and Technology. Mehmet holds several patents and has published more than 60 scientific papers and three books on artificial intelligence (AI) and engineering design.

Paige will be responsible for IT and security, which are both imperative to securing the supply chain data that Flexport leverages for its clients. As CISO, he will oversee Flexport's data and privacy standards. He is an expert strategist with over 15 years of experience, engaging both technical and non-technical stakeholders to define business needs and align IT initiatives with broader company goals. Prior to joining Flexport, Kevin was CISO at MuleSoft, through its acquisition by Salesforce.com. He has held technical leadership roles at Salesforce, xMatters, the US Army and the US Air Force.

First to market with purpose-built cloud software and data analytics platform, Flexport today connects almost 10,000 clients and suppliers across 109 countries, including established global brands as well as emerging innovators. Flexport offers a full range of services, including ocean, air, truck and rail freight, drayage and cartage, warehousing, customs and trade advisory, financing, and insurance.