Manoj Kumar

About Manoj Kumar

For 20+ years, I have transformed security from a cost center into a competitive advantage. At Microsoft, that has meant enabling $11B+ in government contracts, delivering $425M in annual savings, and architecting security for $100B in enterprise revenue. It is a track record built across three roles at Microsoft, two entrepreneurial ventures, and two decades at the intersection of AI, Engineering, and Governance.My contribution to AI security starts upstream, at the level where standards are written and frameworks are defined. I co-authored Microsoft\'s Responsible AI Standard governing employees, lead the AETHER Static Analysis Working Group (building the CodeQL rules that define how enterprise AI gets secured at scale), serve on Microsoft\'s Digital Safety Board shaping responsible AI governance, and conduct external AI security research with 22 vulnerabilities disclosed across frontier models including Claude, Gemini, and OpenAI systems.With deep experience in software development, data, AI/ML, and security engineering, I shape enterprise security strategy, design security architectures, lead compliance programs (NIST, SOC, PCI, CIS, FedRAMP), and build security operations that scale with the business rather than slow it down.As a builder of high-performance teams, I believe in: Servant Leadership Vision, Strategy & Goal Alignment Freedom with Accountability Training, Development, Coaching & Mentoring Creating an Environment of Curiosity & Continuous Learning Being a Catalyst for Change & TransformationOn the personal side, I take a stand for causes I believe deeply to be right, even when it puts me in the minority. I am at my best persuading people to see and do what is right, even when they are tempted otherwise.I have been fortunate to see the full range of life. My life has been rich, colorful, and absolutely worth living. I count myself lucky to have fulfilled many of my dreams growing up, and now is the time to pay it back and pay it forward.When not fiddling with computers, I am running long distances, lifting weights, bouldering, practicing martial arts (currently Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu), reading, or learning dad jokes to deploy on my co-workers.Feel free to reach out if you are going through a rough patch, know a student I can help, or need career advice. We can and we will do it together.Core Expertise:AI/ML Security · Security Architecture · LLM Security & Governance · DevSecOps · FedRAMP/SOC2 · Risk Management · Responsible AI · Enterprise Compliance

Experience

1. Security Architecture & Engineering Leader Sr Security Product Manager

   Microsoft

   Dec 2020 — Present

   Progressed from Security Program Manager at Office of the CTO to Security Architecture & Engineering Leader for the Experiences & Devices division, owning engineering systems and code security for services supporting $95.17B in revenue. Co-author of Microsoft’s AI security standards and external AI security researcher whose 22 disclosed vulnerabilities in frontier models (Claude, Gemini, OpenAI, Comet, Perplexity) directly informed Microsoft’s LLM security controls. Secured $4.7B government contract by leading AETHER Static Analysis Working Group (15 engineers) to pioneer 16 CodeQL rules for high-risk AI systems, achieving US Cyber Executive Order compliance within 8-month deadline. Secured AI integration for Microsoft’s $100B division by conducting GenAI/LLM security reviews across M365, Xbox, Windows, Surface, Teams, and Skype. Protected 10M+ annual code changes across 120K developers by establishing enterprise-wide security governance framework with centralized controls (MFA for pull requests, dual approval, proof of presence, automated blocking of unsafe patterns) across services, reducing risk exposure while maintaining developer velocity. Co-authored Microsoft’s Responsible AI Standard and LLM Security controls governing employees, now adopted as industry reference by enterprises globally. Partnered with legal and policy stakeholders to shape AI governance frameworks. Served as Digital Safety Board advisor on core committee, designing responsible security assurance processes and leading DSB reviews for E+D division services. Cut security review cycles 50%(4 weeks → 2 weeks) by architecting AI-based coaching agent that automates threat detection and delivers policy-aligned security guidance. Scaled to 600+ services, delivering 2,700+ automated recommendations on GenAI, LLM, and code security risks.

Education

• HEC Paris

  Executive MBA, Strategy and Leadership

• NYU Stern School of Business

  Executive MBA, Finance and Business Analytics

• Stanford University

  Stanford Advanced Computer Security Certificate

• TRIUM Global Executive MBA

  Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Executive MBA, International Business

• Western Governors University

  Bachelor of Science (BS), Information Technology - Software Engineering

• Alagappa University

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Mathematics (Hons)

• Western Governors University

  Masters of Science (MS), Cybersecurity and Information Assurance

• The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

  Executive MBA, Global Economics and Political Economy

Skills

• Test Driven Development
• Agile Project Management
• Sharepoint
• Testing
• Software Project Management
• Android Development
• Software Development
• Software Engineering
• Software Development Life Cycle (Sdlc)
• Windows Communication Foundation (Wcf)
• Algorithms
• C++
• Design Patterns
• Sql
• Project Management
• Test Automation
• Agile Methodologies
• .net Framework
• C#
• .net
• Wcf