NetApp® a global leader in intelligent data infrastructure, has appointed Syam Nair as its new Chief Product Officer (CPO), effective July 7, 2025. Nair succeeds Harv Bhela, who concluded his tenure last month after steering a period of strong product innovation and growth.
The announcement marks a strategic step in NetApp’s ambition to expand its hybrid cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) offerings, with Nair set to lead the company’s global product and engineering teams.
A veteran of Salesforce, Microsoft, and most recently Zscaler, Nair brings over 25 years of experience building and scaling cloud platforms. At Microsoft, he was a key architect behind the globally distributed Azure data services, and at Salesforce, he helped shape the Salesforce Data Cloud, advancing the company’s AI-driven capabilities.
“Syam’s proven track record – from building planet-scale Azure data services to pioneering hyper-scale platforms like Salesforce Data Cloud – is exactly what we need,” said George Kurian, CEO of NetApp. “He’s not only a brilliant technologist but also a people-first leader who builds teams grounded in integrity and a growth mindset.”
Nair joins NetApp at a pivotal time as enterprises increasingly turn to AI and cloud technologies to modernize and accelerate their digital strategies. His appointment underscores NetApp’s intensified focus on AI-driven data management, hybrid multicloud solutions, and intelligent automation.
“I’m excited to join NetApp at such a pivotal time in the industry,” said Nair. “We will set a bold vision for the future of hybrid cloud data services and execute with a relentless focus on customer success.”
At Zscaler, Nair served as Chief Technology Officer and EVP of R&D, leading next-gen innovations in secure cloud transformation. He is known in the tech community for his ability to incubate new technologies and scale them for global impact.
Nair’s leadership is expected to reinforce NetApp’s position as a key player in the cloud, data, and AI space—especially as businesses seek simplicity, agility, and intelligence from their data infrastructure. His experience will be instrumental in guiding NetApp’s product roadmap in high-growth markets.
Learn more about NetApp’s leadership and innovation at: www.netapp.com
