Mark Whitesell

Examiner
DISC Type : cs

Virtual Chief Identity Officer CIDO at GuidePoint Security

Atlanta Metropolitan Area, United States

Overview

Mark Whitesell is a veteran leader with over 30 years of experience in the IT security and Identity Management space. As the Virtual Chief Identity Officer at GuidePoint Security, he leverages his expertise from past leadership roles at Saviynt, Okta, and RSA Security. Mark holds an MBA from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Outside of his executive role, Mark is a real estate investor, a board advisor for ISSA Metro Atlanta, and a father to four children. He is actively involved in the Atlanta-area cybersecurity community and contributes his expertise to various professional and advisory boards.

He served as a judge for the ISSA Cyber Stars Awards, recognizing top talent in the Atlanta cybersecurity community.

Personality Overview

Tough To Convince

Process Oriented

Status Quo Seeker

They are quite aware of their needs and limitations, so they are unlikely to over-promise.  Being observant comes to them naturally. They are always well-planned and adopt a systematic approach.

Topics They Care About

Identity & Access Management
Considered an expert in the IAM and governance space, this has been his focus for decades across roles at Okta, RSA, and Saviynt, and is central to his current CIDO role.
Cybersecurity Market
He actively comments on industry consolidation, such as the acquisition of Veza, and discusses market trends at security roadshows for GuidePoint Security.
Real Estate Investing
His professional headline explicitly lists "Real Estate Investor" as a key part of his identity. Public records also show real estate holdings.

Media Appearances

Mark has no verified media appearances

Work History

3-2025
Virtual Chief Identity Officer CIDO at GuidePoint Security
12-2020 - 10-2024
Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales Engineering and Enablement at Saviynt
10-2016 - 12-2020
Director, Sales Engineering at Okta, Inc.
4-2015 - 8-2016
Manager, Sales Engineering; RSA Via Identity & Access Management at RSA Security
8-2001 - 4-2015
Senior Systems Engineer; Identity and Access Management at RSA Security

Education

Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Georgia Institute of Technology
BS/BA from University of South Carolina

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 26 Location : Atlanta Metropolitan Area, United States Job Level : Leadership Designation : Virtual Chief Identity Officer CIDO at GuidePoint Security
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Insights For Selling To Mark

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • First of all, focus on building their confidence by sharing examples, case studies etc.
  • Spend time addressing concerns around risk and change, they will have them even if they don't express them
  • Expect them to be slow and cautious, encourage them to ask more questions

DONT's

  • Don't be very accepting if that is your natural style, stay firm
  • Avoid getting into storytelling mode, especially when they ask specific questions
  • Don't push them too hard to make fast decisions, give them time

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Mark is

  • For them, low risk and acceptance by others are very important, followed by proof of ROI.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Mark

  • They are unlikely to say no, it's better to stop yourself once you have exhausted all the options.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Mark move?

  • They do not like to take decisions in a hurry, so they could be slow in making their mind up.
  • Can Mark take some risk or not?

  • They are low on risk-appetite and prefer to make informed decisions.

You And Mark

Personality Compatibility


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