# Dave Horton

> AI, Security & Governance Leader - Bridging Security Strategy with Technical Innovation. VP Solutions Engineering at Airia. Based in London, UK.

Player-coach technical leader with 15+ years building customer-facing engineering teams from zero. Three times a founding leader: Airia, OneTrust and AirWatch.

Still hands-on: builds agents, MCP servers, RAG systems and agent skills, reviews the team's architectures, and leads from the front on strategic accounts.

## Highlights

- Took Airia from 0 to 600 customers in under two years
- Twice joined a founder-funded start-up before its first outside round and saw it pass $1B: AirWatch (acquired by VMware for $1.54B) and OneTrust (valued at $1.3B at its Series A, peaking at $5.3B)
- Principal technologist at start-ups that have raised $1.3B+ in venture capital (AirWatch, OneTrust, Odaseva)
- Principal technologist with analysts: Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for AI Governance
- Regular speaker and thought leader on webinars and events

## Experience

### VP Solutions Engineering, Airia AI (September 2024 to Present)

- Took Airia from zero customers to 600 in under two years; led the technical team that scoped, sold and implemented every production deployment.
- Built the global technical function from zero: hired and developed a ~30-person team across US, EMEA, MENA, APAC and ANZ, setting the technical bar for customer engagements.
- Hands-on technical lead on strategic accounts including the Williams Racing (F1) partnership: production deployments, MCP agent demos and partner workshops.
- Qualify and scope engagements alongside account teams, shaping statements of work for enterprise Claude deployment programmes covering workshops, POCs, guardrails and MCP configuration.
- Principal technologist for the analyst programme, driving recognition as a Visionary in the first Gartner Magic Quadrant for AI Governance.
- Originated technical partnerships including Intel (AI PC on-device inference) and Anthropic (partner status); embed Airia alongside partner AI ecosystems (Claude, Atlassian, Keeper) and own the cross-functional go-to-market from 0 to 1.
- Design and deploy internal AI tooling adopted company-wide, from agentic QBRs and a competitive-intel portal to a call-recording RAG agent and diagram-generation skills, enabling a 200-person company to execute beyond its headcount.

### SVP Solutions Engineering, Odaseva (August 2021 to September 2024)

- Led and scaled the global solutions engineering practice for a Salesforce ISV in enterprise data management, security and privacy; promoted from VP to SVP.
- Drove analyst relations and venture capital engagement that helped secure a $54M Series C.
- Expanded ownership across technical pre-sales and customer implementation in global markets.
- Managed a team spanning Sydney through to California time zones, with direct reports from junior hires to enterprise Salesforce architects.

### Security Architecture Practice Manager, EMEA, SHI International Corp (June 2020 to August 2021)

- Designed and built SHI's EMEA security practice from the ground up, including reference architectures connecting multiple security solutions.
- Defined partner and go-to-market strategy for security at one of the world's largest value-added resellers.
- Built a holistic EMEA-wide security training programme and a roadmap of consulting engagements, raising SHI's security reputation in the region.

### Sales Engineering Manager, EMEA, OneTrust (November 2016 to June 2020)

- First direct hire in EMEA; built the region's technical pre-sales function as the European HQ scaled from 1 to 400 people, personally hiring and leading a team of 25 solutions engineers.
- Closed technical engagements with 200+ multinational enterprises during OneTrust's rise to unicorn status on its first funding round.
- Technical authority on the platform, translating GDPR, CCPA and ePrivacy requirements into practical enterprise implementations.
- Concurrently served as Offering Manager (2019–2020): led global eCommerce delivery and doubled new-customer acquisition every quarter in 2019.

### Senior Solutions Architect, Vodafone (January 2016 to December 2016)

- Delivered infrastructure, security and end user computing solutions to strategic customers and prospects of Vodafone.
- Covered strategic government accounts requiring SC-level clearance, including Downing Street, MET Police and HMRC.
- Presented at C-level for the UK's largest and most secure enterprises, shifting traditional IT mindsets to the mobile-cloud era.

### Senior Sales Engineer, EMEA, VMware / AirWatch (February 2012 to January 2016)

- Early EMEA hire at then-startup AirWatch (acquired by VMware, 2014); principal engineer on 150+ closed enterprise opportunities.
- Subject matter expert for AirWatch architecture, VMware Identity and the Windows Phone platform; deals worth millions in revenue.
- Public technical face of the company at Mobile World Congress and InfoSecurity, presenting to audiences in the hundreds.

## Airia partners

The partnerships shown in the Airia chapter of the story.

- Microsoft: Airia listing on Microsoft Marketplace, https://marketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/product/saas/30033.452bbc1a-1505-453c-b495-c67a05948534?tab=overview
- Amazon Web Services: Airia listing on AWS Marketplace, https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/pp/prodview-kvwrfkglk5bly
- Google: https://about.google/
- OpenAI: https://openai.com/
- Anthropic: https://www.anthropic.com/
- Intel: https://www.intel.com/
- Cloudflare: https://www.cloudflare.com/
- Optiv: https://www.optiv.com/
- CoSAI (Coalition for Secure AI): https://www.coalitionforsecureai.org/
- AARM (Cloud Security Alliance): Airia listing in the AARM builder registry, https://aarm.dev/builders/airia
- Williams Racing: https://www.williamsf1.com/

## Company journeys

When I joined and left each start-up, set against the funding rounds, valuations and exits on the public record.
Company figures come from primary releases, regulatory filings or named press reports, verified on 2026-09-29.
Joined and left dates are my own, from my CV; on those lines the source supports the company's stage at that date.

### AirWatch (VMware / AirWatch)

- Joined: February 2012. Stage: Pre-Series A (founder-funded)
- Left: January 2016. Stage: After the VMware acquisition
- Headline: $1.54B, acquired by VMware

Joined while AirWatch was still bootstrapped by its founders, a year before its first outside capital, a $200M Series A. VMware agreed to acquire it for $1.54B in January 2014.

- 2012-02: Joined AirWatch [joined]. Pre-Series A. AirWatch had been bootstrapped by its founders since 2003 and took no outside capital until a year later. Source: https://techcrunch.com/2013/02/25/airwatch-gets-200-million-series-a-funding/
- 2013-02-24: Series A: $200M [raised: $200M]. AirWatch's first outside capital, led by Insight Venture Partners and announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Source: https://www.insightpartners.com/ideas/airwatch-global-enterprise-mobile-management-leader-secures-200-million-series-a-investment/
- 2013-05-16: Series A extension: $25M [raised: $25M]. Led by Accel with Insight Venture Partners participating, taking the Series A to $225M. TechCrunch reported, citing sources, that the round valued AirWatch at just over $1B; the company did not disclose a valuation. Source: https://techcrunch.com/2013/05/16/enterprise-mobility-upstart-airwatch-adds-25m-from-accel-to-take-its-series-a-total-to-225m-as-it-preps-for-acquisitions/
- 2014-01-22: VMware agrees to acquire AirWatch [deal value: $1.54B]. Definitive agreement for about $1.175B in cash plus about $365M of instalment payments and assumed unvested equity. Source: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001124610/000119312514016661/d660045dex991.htm
- 2014-02-24: Acquisition completes [exit]. VMware completes its purchase of AirWatch's holding company, A.W.S. Holding, LLC. Source: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001124610/000112461014000004/a8-k02x25x14.htm
- 2016-01: Left VMware [left]. Nearly two years after the acquisition closed, with AirWatch part of VMware's End-User Computing group. Source: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001124610/000119312514016661/d660045dex991.htm

### OneTrust

- Joined: November 2016. Stage: Pre-Series A (bootstrapped, founding year)
- Left: June 2020. Stage: After the Series B ($2.7B valuation)
- Headline: $5.3B, peak valuation, April 2021

Joined in OneTrust's founding year, while it was bootstrapped and before its first outside funding; it became a unicorn on that first round in 2019 and was valued at $2.7B by the time of leaving in 2020. Its valuation peaked at $5.3B in 2021, and as of September 2026 it remains private, with no exit.

- 2016-11: Joined OneTrust [joined]. In OneTrust's founding year (2016), while it was bootstrapped by its management team and before its first outside funding. Source: https://hypepotamus.com/news/onetrust-200m-funding/
- 2019-07-11: Series A: $200M, valued at $1.3B [valuation: $1.3B]. OneTrust's first outside funding, led by Insight Partners. Unicorn status on its first round, three years after founding. Source: https://www.onetrust.com/news/onetrust-insight-series-a-200m/
- 2020-02-20: Series B: $210M, valued at $2.7B [valuation: $2.7B]. Co-led by Coatue and Insight Partners, taking total investment to $410M. Source: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/onetrust-raises-210m-in-new-funding-at-a-2-7b-valuation-301008155.html
- 2020-06: Left OneTrust [left]. After the Series B. The last published valuation before leaving was $2.7B. Source: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/onetrust-raises-210m-in-new-funding-at-a-2-7b-valuation-301008155.html
- 2020-12-21: Series C: $300M, valued at $5.1B [valuation: $5.1B]. Led by TCV, joined by existing investors including Insight Partners and Coatue. Source: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/onetrust-secures-300-million-series-c-funding-at-a-5-1-billion-valuation-led-by-tcv-301196674.html
- 2021-04-08: Series C extension: $210M, valued at $5.3B [valuation: $5.3B]. Led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 with Franklin Templeton, taking total funding to $920M. OneTrust's peak published valuation. Source: https://www.onetrust.com/news/onetrust-extends-series-c-softbank-franklin-templeton/
- 2023-07-24: Growth round: $150M, valued at $4.5B [valuation: $4.5B]. Led by Generation Investment Management with Sands Capital, taking total funding past $1B. The latest published valuation, below the 2021 peak. Source: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/onetrust-secures-150m-investment-led-by-generation-investment-management-301883935.html

### Odaseva

- Joined: August 2021. Stage: Post-Series B
- Left: September 2024. Stage: After the $54M Series C
- Headline: $54M, Series C, led by Silver Lake Waterman

Joined Odaseva, an enterprise data security platform for Salesforce, after its $25M Series B, and left three months after its $54M Series C led by Silver Lake Waterman. No valuation has been disclosed for any round.

- 2019-02-28: Series A: $11.7M [raised: $11.7M]. Led by Partech with new investor Salesforce Ventures and existing investor Serena, taking total funding to $14M. Source: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/02/28/1744059/0/en/Odaseva-Closes-11-7-Million-in-Funding-to-Accelerate-Delivery-of-Data-Protection-Data-Compliance-and-Data-Operations-for-Enterprises-Running-Business-Applications-in-the-Cloud.html
- 2020-10-27: Series B: $25M [raised: $25M]. Led by Eight Roads Ventures with new investor F-Prime Capital and existing backers Partech, Salesforce Ventures and Serena, taking total funding to $40M. Source: https://partechpartners.com/news/odaseva-raises-25-million-accelerate-enterprise-trust-cloud
- 2021-08: Joined Odaseva [joined]. Post-Series B, ten months after the $25M round. Source: https://partechpartners.com/news/odaseva-raises-25-million-accelerate-enterprise-trust-cloud
- 2024-06-27: Series C: $54M [raised: $54M]. Equity financing led by Silver Lake Waterman, with existing investors F-Prime, Eight Roads and Serena Capital and new investors Eurazeo and Crescent Cove. Total funding passes $90M. No valuation disclosed. Source: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/odaseva-raises-54m-series-c-round-to-expand-product-offerings-and-continue-category-leadership-302183054.html
- 2024-09: Left Odaseva [left]. Three months after the Series C was announced. Source: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/odaseva-raises-54m-series-c-round-to-expand-product-offerings-and-continue-category-leadership-302183054.html

### Airia (Airia AI)

- Joined: September 2024. Stage: Founder-funded, before any outside round
- Left: not applicable, still there (present)
- Headline: $100M, founder funding, September 2025

Co-founded by John Marshall, who co-founded AirWatch and was OneTrust's co-chairman until 2023; joined in 2024 as Airia emerged from stealth. Founder-funded, with no institutional round or valuation announced, it reported more than 500 paying customers and about 170 employees in March 2026.

- 2024-09: Joined Airia [joined]. Founder-funded and before any outside round, as Airia emerged from stealth in 2024. Source: https://fintech.global/2025/09/18/ai-security-platform-airia-bags-100m-investment/
- 2025-09-16: $100M founder funding [raised: $100M]. $50M invested to date plus a further $50M committed, all from co-founder John Marshall. Not a named venture round, and no valuation was published. Source: https://airia.com/blog/airia-secures-100m-in-funding/

## Credentials

- AIGP: Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional
- CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional
- CIPP/E: Certified Information Privacy Professional / Europe
- CIPM: Certified Information Privacy Manager
- FIP: Fellow of Information Privacy
- Claude Certified Architect (Professional), Anthropic, Sep 2026
- Claude Certified Architect (Foundations), Anthropic, Sep 2026
- Claude Certified Developer (Foundations), Anthropic, Sep 2026
- Claude Certified Associate (Foundations), Anthropic, Sep 2026
- AI foundation models: sat and passed various Databricks exams.
- Salesforce Certified: Administrator · AI Associate
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- UK SC Clearance covered by the Official Secrets Act; renewed 2026.

## Technical toolbox

- AI & Agents: Agentic AI, Multi-Agent Orchestration, MCP, Claude, Agent Skills, Evals & Guardrails
- Platforms & Cloud: Salesforce, AWS, Azure, Databricks, Atlassian
- Development: Python, JavaScript, Full-Stack Prototyping, APIs & Integrations
- Security & Identity: AI Security, EU AI Act, Zero Trust, SSO / SAML, DLP, Mobile & Endpoint

## Education

- BSc (Hons) Computing Systems, First class honours, University of Northampton

## Speaking

- Speaker at major industry events across security, financial services and government, including Gartner, InfoSec Europe and Black Hat.
- Regular guest on podcasts and webinars.

## Contact

- Website: https://davehorton.co.uk
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dho
- Email: davehorton@me.com