Ashar Aziz

{{short description|Pakistani–American electrical engineer, business executive, and philanthropist}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Ashar Aziz

| image =

| caption =

| native_name = {{Nastaliq|اشعر عزیز}}

| native_name_lang = ur

| birth_name = Ashar Aziz Butt

| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1959}}

| birth_place = Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan

| nationality = American
Pakistani

| education =

| alma_mater = University of California, Berkeley
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Middle East Technical University

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Electrical engineer
business executive
philanthropist}}

| years_active = 1981–present

| employer =

| organization =

| known_for =

| title = Founder and CEO of FireEye

Chairman of Sky Electric

| boards =

| parents = Asghar Butt (father)
Nisar Aziz (mother)

| relatives = Sartaj Aziz (uncle)
Majid Nizami (uncle)

| family =

| awards = Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Sitara-i-Imtiaz

| website =

}}

Ashar Aziz ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|اشعر عزیز}}}}; born 1959) is a Pakistani–American electrical engineer, business executive, and philanthropist. He is best known as the founder of Silicon Valley–based cybersecurity company FireEye.{{cite web|url=https://www.eecs.mit.edu/node/6086|title=Ashar Aziz '81|work=MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science|date=2015|accessdate=7 April 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407075844/https://www.eecs.mit.edu/node/6086|archivedate=7 April 2020}} A former billionaire, Aziz had an estimated net worth of over $233 million as of 2015.{{cite web|url=https://au.wallmine.com/people/9676/ashar-aziz|title=Ashar Aziz|work=Wallmine|date=15 June 2019|accessdate=7 April 2020}}

Early life and education

Aziz was born in Karachi in 1959 and grew up in Islamabad, Pakistan.{{cite news|url=https://thenewspaces.com/2016/03/07/making-the-impossible-possible-ashar-aziz/|title=Making the Impossible Possible: Ashar Aziz|work=The New Spaces|date=7 March 2016|accessdate=7 April 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://propakistani.pk/2016/09/22/pakistani-americans-cybersecurity-company-worth-2-43-billion-today/|title=This Pakistani-American's Cybersecurity Company is Worth $2.43 Billion Today|first=Rehan|last=Ahmed|work=ProPakistani.pk|date=22 September 2016 |quote=Meet Ashar Aziz, a 57-year-old entrepreneur who entered Forbes’ Billionaire list two years back. Born in Pakistan, Aziz is the founder of FireEye, a cyber security company that provides automated threat forensics and dynamic malware protection.|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923181549/https://propakistani.pk/2016/09/22/pakistani-americans-cybersecurity-company-worth-2-43-billion-today/|archivedate=23 September 2016}} He arrived in the United States as a student, having gained admission into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Engineering (MIT). Prior to entering MIT, he completed two years of foundation studies at the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Turkey during the mid-1970s. He graduated from MIT with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering in 1981, followed by a Master of Science in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was also granted a Regents' Fellowship.

Career

Aziz worked as an engineer at Sun Microsystems for twelve years, specialising in computer networking, network security, and system design. He also served as chief technology officer of the N1 program at Sun. In 1999, he founded his first startup company Terraspring Inc., which focused on data center automization and virtualization. The business was bought by Sun Microsystems in 2002, following the stock market crash of 2001.

At around the same time, Aziz began studying the risks stemming from highly stealthy and self-propagating malware systems, and the threats they posed to future cybersecurity infrastructures—a problem he first discovered in the U.S. Department of Defense archives. In 2004, he founded FireEye, having become convinced that he could provide the solutions to these emerging cybersecurity challenges. He initially worked out of his home for 80 to 100 hours a week, with only $4,000 in his personal savings. Initially, most of his technical team comprised engineers and technology professionals he knew from his previous startup. Based in Milpitas, California, the company today provides both software and cloud-based anti-malware products. According to the MIT Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, "the core of the FireEye platform is a virtual execution engine, complemented by dynamic threat intelligence, to identify and block cyber attacks in real time and across the different stages of an attack life cycle." Describing FireEye in 2012, Aziz stated that the company's objective was to strengthen the "security and key infrastructure that is pervasive across financial, government and credit card infrastructure to protect from three very important threats: crime, espionage, and warfare." Aziz served as FireEye's chief executive officer from 2004 to 2012, as well as remaining its chief strategy officer, chief technology officer and [https://myc.com.pk/about-us/ board] vice chairman.

{{Cquote|Before you even have an idea, think about how you construct it – backwards – from the problem. Once you have reverse engineered the solution, you have to validate it with a potential customer.|source=Aziz addressing Start6 engineering students at MIT's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2015.}}

In December 2012, Aziz stepped down as CEO and former McAfee CEO David DeWalt was appointed to the position.{{cite web | title = FireEye Names New CEO | website = Fortune | date = May 6, 2016 | url = http://fortune.com/2016/05/06/fireeye-ceo-rumors/ | access-date=September 18, 2018 | first = Robert | last = Hackett}}{{cite news | last1 = Owens | first1 = Jeremy C. | last2 = Delevett | first2 = Peter | title = FireEye's price more than doubles on Wall Street after eye-popping IPO | newspaper = The Mercury News | date = September 20, 2013 | url = https://www.mercurynews.com/2013/09/20/fireeyes-price-more-than-doubles-on-wall-street-after-eye-popping-ipo-2/ | access-date=September 22, 2018}}{{cite web | title = FireEye names former McAfee exec Dave DeWalt as CEO, plans IPO | website = Reuters | date = November 28, 2012 | url = https://www.reuters.com/article/fireeye-ceo/fireeye-names-former-mcafee-exec-dave-dewalt-as-ceo-plans-ipo-idUSL1E8MSA7R20121128 | access-date=September 18, 2018}} DeWalt was recruited in order to prepare the company for an initial public offering (IPO).{{cite web | title = FireEye shares double as hot security firm goes public | website = USA TODAY | date = September 20, 2013 | url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/cybertruth/2013/09/24/fireeye-shares-double-as-security-firm-goes-public/2844227/ | access-date=September 22, 2018}}{{cite web | last = Kelly | first = Meghan | title = FireEye brings more legitimacy to new security solutions with IPO filing | website = VentureBeat | date = August 5, 2013 | url = https://venturebeat.com/2013/08/05/fireeye-ipo/ | access-date=September 22, 2018}} The following year, FireEye raised an additional $50 million in venture capital, bringing its total funding to $85 million.{{cite web | last = Westervelt | first = Robert | title = FireEye Scores $50M Funding, Beefs Up Executive Team | website = CRN | date = January 10, 2013 | url = https://www.crn.com/news/security/240146043/fireeye-scores-50m-funding-beefs-up-executive-team.htm | access-date=September 22, 2018}}{{cite web | last = Bort | first = Julie | title = Now Worth $1.25 Billion, FireEye Is The Next Hot Enterprise Startup To Watch | website = Business Insider | date = January 10, 2013 | url = https://www.businessinsider.com/fireeye-fundraising-2013-1 | access-date=September 22, 2018}} In September 2013, FireEye went public, raising $300 million. Aziz's shares in FireEye skyrocketed as the company acquired an asset valuation of over $1 billion. According to Forbes, he owned 11 million shares in the company and his personal net worth had increased to just over $1 billion.{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanmac/2014/03/05/rampant-fireeye-stock-makes-founder-ashar-aziz-a-cybersecurity-billionaire/#7d6b20fb4559|title=Rampant FireEye Shares Makes Founder Ashar Aziz A Cybersecurity Billionaire|work=Forbes|date=5 March 2014|accessdate=7 April 2020|first=Ryan|last=Mac|quote=Ashar Aziz, founder of cybersecurity firm FireEye, is the world's newest billionaire as shares in his company continue to skyrocket following a September initial public offering.}} However, the Business Insider explained the appreciation in Aziz's net worth was temporary due to the high fluctuations in share prices, dropping his stake worth to under $1 billion once prices dropped.{{cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/fireeye-goes-nuts-creates-billionaire-2014-3?r=US&IR=T|title=Shares Of Newly Public Company FireEye Have Gone Nuts, And They Have Turned This Man Into A Billionaire|work=Business Insider Australia|first=Julie|last=Bort|date=7 March 2014|access-date=7 April 2020|quote=In the past few days, shares of security company FireEye have gone absolutely bonkers, turning the company’s founder into an instant billionaire... He owns a 7.8% stake with 10,835,000 shares, worth just over $US1 billion when the share price reached $US93... But the high share price, and Aziz’s newfound billionaire status, might not last that long... Prices have dropped to just below $US92 so far, which makes Ariz’s stake worth just under $US1 billion.}} According to The Wall Street Journal, FireEye was the second-best performing firm in the U.S. that went public in 2013.{{cite news|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2014/03/03/fireeye-to-cash-in-on-red-hot-share-rally/|title=FireEye Looks to Cash In on Red-Hot Shares|date=3 March 2014|accessdate=7 April 2020|first=Matt|last=Jarzemsky|work=The Wall Street Journal}} Aziz was inducted into the Forbes' list of billionaires for 2014.

As the inventor of FireEye's malware protection system, Aziz currently holds over 80 patents relating to various cybersecurity technologies, including in the fields of network security, cryptography, and data center virtualization.{{cite web|url=https://www.pitb.gov.pk/system/files/Ashar_Aziz.pdf|title=Ashar Aziz|work=Punjab Information Technology Board|accessdate=7 April 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.skyelectric.com/about/|title=Ashar Aziz|work=SkyElectric|date=2020|accessdate=8 April 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308025348/http://www.skyelectric.com/about/|archivedate=8 March 2019|url-status=live}} He is recognized as the technical visionary and pioneer behind FireEye's core technology. In August 2016, it was announced that Aziz had tendered his resignation from FireEye in order to spend more time with his family, and focus on solar energy distribution projects in developing countries.{{cite news|url=https://www.crn.com/news/security/300081986/partners-concerned-about-future-as-fireeye-founder-resigns-from-board-of-directors.htm|title=Partners Concerned About Future As FireEye Founder Resigns From Board Of Directors|first=Sarah|last=Kuranda|work=CERN|date=7 September 2016|accessdate=7 April 2020}} A partner of FireEye described the news as "disconcerting" for FireEye's future and its workforce, and predicted his exit would accelerate discussions on a potential sale of the company. However, a FireEye source dismissed this notion, stating the company would operate under its new CEO and continue to provide solutions using its multi-vector virtual execution (MVX) technology. The source also clarified that Aziz felt he was leaving the company in "good hands", and that he was still a shareholder in FireEye.

Philanthropy

Aziz is the founding CEO of SkyElectric Inc., a company which seeks to provide affordable and sustainable solar energy solutions. In February 2017, he pitched solar energy as the solution to Pakistan's electricity crisis and launched his company's operations in the country.{{cite news|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1341044/smart-energy-system-skyelectric-looks-upwards/|title=With smart energy system, SkyElectric looks upwards|work=The Express Tribune|first=Zafar|last=Bhutta|date=28 February 2017|accessdate=7 April 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://aurora.dawn.com/news/1143535|title=Making solar possible|work=Dawn Aurora|first=Anusha|last=Zahid|date=October 2019|accessdate=7 April 2020}}

He is a member of the board of governors of Namal Institute, founded by Imran Khan. In January 2020, he inaugurated the Nisar Aziz Agri-Tech Center at Namal Institute at Namal. Named after his mother, the center would assist in the development of a "robust agricultural economy through technology" by promoting low-cost agricultural practices, and providing agricultural education to farmers in Pakistan.{{cite web|url=https://www.namalknowledgecity.com/news/nisar-aziz-agri-tech-center-fostering-rural-development|title=Nisar Aziz Agri-Tech Center; fostering rural development|work=Namal Knowledge City|date=10 January 2020|accessdate=7 April 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407144115/https://www.namalknowledgecity.com/news/nisar-aziz-agri-tech-center-fostering-rural-development|archivedate=7 April 2020}}

Personal life

Aziz's father, Asghar Butt, was a journalist, writer and playwright, who served as the deputy editor of the Pakistani broadsheet The Nation.{{cite news|url=https://nation.com.pk/22-Sep-2013/fireeye-s-debut-signals-red-hot-interest-in-cybersecurity|title=FireEye's debut signals red hot interest in cybersecurity|work=The Nation|date=22 September 2013|accessdate=7 April 2020|quote=Ashar Aziz, founder, CTO and chief strategy officer of FireEye and son of late Asghar Butt, former deputy editor of Pakistan’s leading national daily The Nation, was one of the big personal gainers from FireEye’s IPO.}}{{cite news|url=https://nation.com.pk/14-Nov-2012/journalist-writer-and-dramatist-asghar-butt-passes-aged-91|title=Journalist, writer and dramatist Asghar Butt passes, aged 91|work=The Nation|date=14 November 2012|accessdate=7 April 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407143221/https://nation.com.pk/14-Nov-2012/journalist-writer-and-dramatist-asghar-butt-passes-aged-91|archivedate=7 April 2020}} His father died aged 91 at his hometown Lahore, Punjab, on 13 November 2012.

Aziz's mother, Nisar Aziz, was an eminent Urdu novelist and literary figure who belonged to a Pashtun family from Mardan.{{cite news|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1533113|title=Novelist Nisar Aziz Butt passes away|work=Dawn|date=8 February 2020|accessdate=7 April 2020|first=Xari|last=Jalil}} She died aged 93 on 7 February 2020. The economist and politician Sartaj Aziz is his maternal uncle.{{cite news|url=https://nation.com.pk/09-Feb-2020/rasm-e-qul-of-nisar-aziz-butt-held|title=Rasm-e-Qul of Nisar Aziz Butt held|work=The Nation|date=9 February 2020|accessdate=7 April 2020|quote=He said that the deceased had played the role of a mother for her brother Senator Sartaj Aziz.}} The Nation's editor-in-chief, Majid Nizami, was his father's brother-in-law and thus his uncle. Ashar has one brother, Ahmar Aziz Butt, who is a doctor.

Aziz is a recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. In 2018, he was [https://ronikalenergy.com/ presented] the civil award Sitara-i-Imtiaz by the government of Pakistan for his contributions to the IT industry.