People by WTF is a series where Nikhil Kamath has a conversation with personalities who stand out in their industries around the world.
People by WTF is a series where Nikhil Kamath has a conversation with personalities who stand out in their industries around the world.
Here’s one of my favourite conversations with Palo Alto Networks’ CEO, Nikesh Arora. This episode is a CxO’s playbook where we deep dived into the mindset, strategy, and decision-making frameworks that have shaped Nikesh’s journey across roles at Google, SoftBank, and now leading one of the world’s top cybersecurity firms. This isn’t just business talk. Learn how to think like a CxO when the rules of the game keep changing.
#NikhilKamath - Investor & Entrepreneur
Twitter: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcio/
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#NikeshArora - CEO, Palo Alto Networks
Twitter: https://x.com/nikesharora
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikesh-arora-02894670/
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
Chapter 1: Action vs Inaction
01:51 - Nikesh’s Early Years
04:17 - The Real Threats in Cybersecurity
08:13 - What Will Outlast the Disruptions?
Chapter 2: Can We Ever Be Safe Again?
10:31 - Rethinking Safety in a Changing World
12:44 - How to Look at the Cybersecurity Landscape
14:55 - Where AI is Taking the Industry
23:42 - If Interfaces Don’t Matter, What Does?
25:44 - What Happens When AI is Everywhere?
Chapter 3: Money, Meaning, Maslow
32:15 - Why Language Models Are Just the Starting Point
35:57 - Build the Brain or Protect It?
38:33 - What Founders Should Pay Attention To
41:23 - Lessons from the Evolution of Silicon Valley
42:28 - Should India Build Its Own Model?
46:31 - Are AI Bets Overblown?
50:00 - What’s Holding Innovation Back in India?
54:15 - Education as a Social Experience
59:25 - Moving into Tech and Leadership
1:00:08 - Building vs Leading: What to Choose
1:06:38 - Stories from Google & SoftBank
1:16:11 - How Risk Appetite Evolves
1:20:18 - Closing Reflections
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