Phil Venables joined Ballistic Ventures as a Venture Partner, the cybersecurity-focused investment firm announced on April 25, 2025. Ballistic says he will focus on early-stage cyber and cyber-adjacent investments and help its portfolio companies grow. Its current profile also says he remains a Strategic Security Advisor at Google.
What is Phil Venables doing after Google Cloud?
Venables has taken on an investment and portfolio-support role at Ballistic Ventures while retaining an advisory connection to Google, according to Ballistic’s current team profile. The firm announced his appointment on April 25, 2025, using the title Venture Partner.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ballistic describes his work as focusing on early-stage companies in cybersecurity and adjacent fields, as well as helping portfolio companies grow. In June 2026, cybersecurity company BreachRx also referred to Venables as a Ballistic Ventures Partner, later corroboration of his association with the firm. Ballistic’s profile labels his team role “Venture Partner,” so that is the precise title for the appointment.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
What does a Venture Partner do at Ballistic Ventures?
In Venables’ case, Ballistic identifies two parts of the role: investing in early-stage cyber and cyber-adjacent businesses, and supporting the growth of companies in its portfolio. That makes the move a shift from leading security inside large organizations toward working with cybersecurity businesses and their founders; Ballistic has not specified a particular fund, investment amount, or set of portfolio assignments for him.
#1 Best Overall
How does his security career inform the move?
Ballistic’s announcement and profile describe Venables as having held senior security roles at Google Cloud and Goldman Sachs. Ballistic says he was Google Cloud’s first CISO, leading risk, security, compliance, and privacy teams. The firm’s profile also says he was a Goldman Sachs Partner and its first CISO, a role he held for 17 years. These career details are Ballistic’s account.
Ballistic’s announcement adds that Venables held leadership roles at Deutsche Bank and served in public-sector advisory work. It says he helped found the Center for Internet Security and served on its board from 2014 to 2020. At the time of the announcement, Ballistic also cited his board and committee work at MITRE’s Science and Technology Advisory Committee, HackerOne, Interos, and Ballistic portfolio company Veza; that announcement-era list should not be read as a verified current roster.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What did Venables and Ballistic say about the appointment?
Venables described the move as a new kind of challenge, saying: “After being a CISO for 30 years across some of the world’s largest organizations, I’m excited to take on a new challenge that allows me to help shape the future of cybersecurity in a different way.” The “30 years” figure is his own characterization in Ballistic’s announcement.
Recommended Free Tools
Ballistic co-founder and General Partner Ted Schlein said: “We have known and worked with Phil for years, and he was our first call to be a trusted advisor when assembling Ballistic.” In a June 2025 interview recap, Ballistic said Venables discussed how the CISO role is expanding to include board-level and broader digital-risk responsibilities; that is the firm’s summary of the interview, not a direct quotation.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
