Transcend Appoints Former UnitedHealth Group CISO Aimee Cardwell as Industry-First ‘CISO in Residence’

Visionary cybersecurity leader brings deep expertise to Transcend amidst accelerating convergence of privacy and security.

Transcend, the fastest-growing privacy platform ¹, today announced the appointment of Aimee Cardwell, former Executive Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at UnitedHealth Group, as the company’s CISO in Residence (CISO-IR). This first-of-its-kind position embeds executive security leadership within the privacy sphere, providing Transcend’s community with unparalleled ‘security-meets-privacy’ expertise while integrating Aimee's perspective within the company's ongoing strategy and product evolution.

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A photograph of Aimee Cardwell, Transcend's CISO in Residence.

“The lines between privacy and security are rapidly blurring, driven by complex regulations, sophisticated threats, and the demands of harnessing AI within the enterprise. We've always believed intrinsic security controls are foundational to trust-centered growth, and now, we’re seeing that point of view reflected in sales conversations,” said Ben Brook, Transcend CEO and co-founder. “Aimee’s arrival as our first CISO in Residence is a strategic response to this market reality. Her experience securing complex organizations like UnitedHealth Group makes her the perfect leader to help bridge these disciplines and guide the industry forward.”

Aimee Cardwell is a dynamic leader with over 25 years of experience spanning technology, cybersecurity, and product strategy across healthcare, financial services, and e-commerce giants including UnitedHealth, American Express, eBay, and Expedia. As EVP & CISO at UnitedHealth, she orchestrated a reinvention of the organization’s cybersecurity program, systemically reducing cyber risk while enabling rapid business expansion.

Her visionary leadership has earned numerous accolades, including being named one of TAG Cyber’s “50 to Watch in 2023” and receiving the 2023 World 50 Impact Award for Courage.

“To effectively meet today’s data challenges, privacy and security functions must operate hand-in-hand—a reality I experienced firsthand leading global trust and security functions,” said Cardwell. “In highly regulated environments like healthcare, building and maintaining trust is paramount; it’s the bedrock upon which valuable, personalized experiences are delivered. I’m thrilled to join Transcend and collaborate with privacy leaders, sharing insights and strategies to foster that essential trust and embed security principles into the core of privacy operations.”

The creation of the CISO-IR role reflects the documented trend of converging responsibilities, with IDC reporting that 68% of organizational privacy policies and initiatives are now driven by the CISO ². Transcend’s program, modeled after successful venture capital expert-in-residence initiatives, provides the privacy community direct access to security expertise. Aimee will offer strategic guidance, share best practices gleaned from her extensive CISO network, and help privacy professionals develop integrated approaches to governance and risk management.

“Aimee’s perspective as a seasoned CISO is invaluable as we continue to serve the evolving needs of both privacy and security leaders,” said Kate Parker, Transcend President. “Her role as CISO in Residence will embed her expertise of the challenges security leaders face and the solutions they require, and help inform our go-to-market strategy and product & technology roadmap, ensuring we deliver maximum value to customers navigating tomorrow’s most complex and sophisticated data challenges.”

The CISO in Residence program is the first phase of Transcend’s broader “In Residence” initiative, designed to bring diverse executive expertise into the privacy space, with plans to potentially include privacy-centric CIOs, CMOs, and CPOs in the future.

About Transcend

Transcend helps the world’s largest companies better govern their data—reducing risk, improving operational efficiencies, unlocking growth, and building trust. Transcend offers a comprehensive privacy and AI governance suite that transforms how enterprises understand and manage personal data, automate privacy tasks, assess risks, and oversee AI systems. As the fastest-growing privacy company in the market ¹, Transcend is used by some of the biggest names in technology, financial services, healthcare, telecommunications, consumer goods, insurance, and more. Transcend was named a “Leader” in Data Privacy Management on G2 and a “Major Player” in the 2023 IDC MarketScape report “Worldwide Data Privacy Compliance Software.” Founded in 2017 by Ben Brook (CEO) and Mike Farrell (CTO), Transcend is headquartered in California’s Bay Area. Transcend’s vision is to put users everywhere in control of their data.

Endnotes:

¹: Fastest growing based on YoY revenue growth compared to companies cited in IDC’s Worldwide Data Privacy Compliance Software Market Shares, 2023: OneTrust Still at the Top with Competition Heating Up (IDC #US50798323, June 2024)

²: IDC, Worldwide Data Privacy Compliance Software Market Shares, 2023: OneTrust Still at the Top with Competition Heating Up (IDC #US50798323, June 2024)

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"[Aimee's] experience securing complex organizations like UnitedHealth Group makes her the perfect leader to help bridge these disciplines and guide the industry forward."