Pentera’s Executive Leadership is now 50% women, following the latest round of promotions

Boston, Mass – May 28, 2025 – Pentera, the global security validation company, has promoted four senior managers to its executive leadership team. Three of the four newly promoted executives are women, each of whom has been part of Pentera’s growth over the past five years, and has led their respective domain with excellence. These internal promotions reflect Pentera’s commitment to recognizing impact and performance, while supporting equal opportunity across the organization.

Pentera has raised more than $250 million from leading investors and now serves over 1,100 enterprise customers across 65 countries. The company is redefining how cybersecurity defenses are validated by shifting from periodic, assumption-based testing to continuous adversarial validation.

“The best leaders are often those who’ve grown with the company and shaped its success from within,” said Amitai Ratzon, CEO of Pentera. “These promotions recognize individuals who have consistently delivered impactful results, built strong teams, and taken full ownership of their domains. Shiran, Ortal, Sivan, and Scott’s work exemplify these contributions and I’m excited to welcome them to the executive leadership team as we continue growing Pentera’s global presence.”

Pentera’s newly appointed senior leaders:

• Sivan Harel – Senior Vice President of Sales, EMEA
  Sivan has been a cornerstone of Pentera’s commercial success since joining in 2018 as the company’s first salesperson. Rising through the ranks from Regional Sales Director to her current role as SVP, Sivan leads Pentera’s sales team across EMEA, driving record-setting performance year after year. Known for her customer-first approach and empowering leadership, she continues to grow the next generation of Pentera’s sales leaders across EMEA.
• Scott Merkle – Vice President of Sales, Americas
  Scott joined Pentera in 2024 and has quickly taken ownership of the company’s sales operations in the Americas. Since stepping into the role, he has focused on reinforcing a high-performing sales organization, deepening Pentera’s channel, and driving increased market penetration across the region. With decades of experience at companies like Ping Identity and Webroot, Scott brings the strategic focus and operational discipline needed to scale Pentera’s presence in a highly competitive market.
• Shiran Bar Lev – Senior Vice President of Finance
  Shiran joined Pentera in 2019 as the company’s first Finance Manager and has since built a global finance infrastructure spanning 18 countries and five subsidiaries. She has successfully led the company through multiple funding rounds, from Series B to Series D, working closely with investors, shareholders, and the board. Her financial leadership has helped fuel Pentera’s growth from an early-stage startup to a global enterprise. Shiran continues to play a pivotal role in shaping Pentera’s financial strategy and long-term success.
• Ortal Vardi – General Counsel
  Since joining Pentera in 2020, Ortal has built and scaled the company’s legal function to support its evolution into a global enterprise. She has led the development of Pentera’s international legal framework, including the formation of global subsidiaries and infrastructure to support operations in 18 countries. Ortal oversees commercial and compliance matters across more than 65 countries and played a key role in guiding the company through its Series C and D funding rounds. Her leadership has ensured Pentera’s legal and regulatory readiness throughout its growth.