Sayeh Taghavi

About Sayeh Taghavi

With an MBA in Accounting and IT, and over 20 years of direct business and IT risk management experience, I have developed a wide range of important business management and leadership skills. Managing financial planning and forecasting for annual budgets of $100MM+, and leading complex individual projects exceeding $5MM, I have gained valuable insights to account and relationship management, both within Microsoft and across a variety of Fortune 50 clients. I have been accumulating skills and expertise applicable across numerous business development scenarios, demonstrating a history of proficiency interacting with all levels of executive management, and gathering business insights that provide intelligence to leadership that influences strategic decisions. A large part of recent career development focus has been on achieving results by influencing change, working across multiple organizations with competing priorities. My career successes are largely attributable to my interpersonal, communication, presentation, negotiation, and problem-solving skills. In my current role, I am leading end-to-end cross-company program to strengthen Microsoft’s Regulatory compliance posture to modernize the foundation for scalable, trustworthy AI experiences I have enjoyed motivating people in both direct leadership positions, and working with large global virtual teams, and I look forward to further contributing and growing as an effective manager and leader.

Experience

1. Regulatory and Compliance Principal Group Product Manager

   Microsoft

   Jan 2024 — Present

   Leading cross company teams to address Regulatory requirements based on risk and priorities. Helping decrease Engineering toil by being more planful and deliberate on specific requirements needed to meet key Regulations and Compliance Obligations.• Provided leadership and oversight in strategic planning, execution, and assessment of enterprise-wide cybersecurity strategies, policies, and procedures• Directed risk assessment, analysis, and management plans, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and enabling proactive risk mitigation.• Demonstrated expertise in crafting a comprehensive vision and strategy for data protection solutions, including designing and executing actionable roadmaps that align with both organizational goals and evolving regulatory compliance requirements.• Advanced understanding of global AI, data protection and cybersecurity regulations and requirements (e.g. GDPR, DMA, EU AI Act, EU Data Act, DORA, NIS2, and CRA) and deep experience implementing compliance tools and supporting infrastructure.• Highly proficient in a broad range of security, privacy, and data protection technologies, such as metadata collection, policy and access control enforcement, data flow management, cyber resilience, and identity governance.• Directed the development, implementation, and maintenance of processes to reduce information risks, respond to incidents, and establish standards and controls.• Developed and disseminated key risk indicators, performance metrics, and led tabletop exercises.• Oversaw third-party risk management, vendor performance, and established standards for managed service providers.• Recognized for building and leading high-performing, diverse teams while cultivating a culture of innovation and excellence. Adept at forging strong partnerships with legal, governance, compliance, and engineering stakeholders to design and implement impactful, scalable solutions that consistently drive organizational success.

Education

• University of California, Irvine

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

• University of California, Irvine

  Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)

Skills

• Leadership
• Enterprise Software
• Financial Modeling
• Privacy Compliance
• Strategic Planning
• Interpersonal Skills
• Program Management
• Software Development
• Auditing Standards
• IT Operations
• Change Management
• Sox 404
• Product Management
• Cloud Computing
• Influence Others
• Budget Management
• Financial Planning
• Business Process
• Communication
• Governance
• Business Process Improvement
• Go-to-Market Strategy
• People Development
• Partner Management
• Software Project Management
• Saas
• IT Audit
• Business Analysis
• Software as a Service (Saas)
• IT Strategy
• Product Planning
• Risk Management
• Agile Methodologies
• Management Consulting
• Financial Forecasting
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Information Security
• Operations Management
• People Management
• Business Intelligence