In this week’s ‘Meet the Executives’ series, we interview our CSO, Jackson Shaw. With more than 30 years of experience in product management solutions, marketing, sales, and operations in technology, much of that time has been spent in the identity space. He’s lent his expertise to companies including IBM, Zoomit, Microsoft, Dell, Quest, OneIdentity, and Forcepoint. He’s presented at industry events across the globe and contributed to leading publications, but when his thought leader cap is off, you can find him hiking, fishing on the lake, and spending time with his family.
Tell us you're Canadian without telling us you're Canadian...
What do you do at Clear Skye?
I’m the Chief Strategy Officer with responsibility for…you guessed it: our long-term product strategy. The product management and engineering teams report up to me, so I get to keep my finger on the pulse of what’s going on day-to-day. That said, I spend most of my time looking at industry trends, where we should be going 12 months out from now and beyond. Clear Skye is the only identity solution built natively on ServiceNow, so another part of my role is identifying how we can work best with our platform provider.
When and why did you make the jump to Clear Skye?
In many ways, I was an identity management specialist from my early working days in IT. I got my start in the late eighties, where I was doing everything from creating student accounts on mainframes, and user accounts in Banyan VINES, to synchronizing email accounts for enterprise customers. It wasn’t until I joined Zoomit Corporation in 1993 that I became an identity management professional. This was the same year the web became a public domain, and in many ways, when the real need to secure digital identities started.
What sets Clear Skye apart from other places you’ve worked?
The fact that our software is built on ServiceNow is why I am at Clear Skye. Being part of a business platform that is helping companies transform their business is truly amazing. To my knowledge, no one else is doing this yet, but that won’t last for long. I believe the future of software is on the business platform, and we’re already a step ahead in that regard. I also get the chance to work with great, knowledgeable colleagues—many that I’ve had the pleasure of working with in professional lives past—which is pretty cool.
Where do you see the company in 5 years?
I expect we’ll be acquired within 5 years.
Clear Skye acquisition = more time to Granddad
Most will agree, from failure comes success. Tell us about a learning moment in your professional life or a valuable piece of advice you’ve picked up along the way.
Wow, so many failures to choose from! I think the biggest learning moment I’ve had is around hiring. While I was a manager at Microsoft, I learned to take the time to hire the best talent, and to build a great team around you. From a great team, great things can be achieved.
Who inspires you—career or otherwise?
In my career I have been inspired by Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, Kim Cameron (a friend and colleague at Zoomit and Microsoft), Steve Jobs, and Grace Hopper. I recently wrote an article about Kim’s ‘7 Laws of Identity.’ He established this guide almost 20 years ago, and the principles still hold true today—he was a true visionary, and I was fortunate to know and work with him.
Where can we find you when you’re not leading strategy at Clear Skye?
Having fun with my family, biking, fishing, hiking, or sitting on the dock at our cottage enjoying a cocktail!
Lake life doesn't look half bad with this crew
