Top CIAM Influencers to Follow in 2024

When it comes to Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM), knowing and following the right experts can help you develop a successful strategy. We’ve rounded up 15 top CIAM influencers who are redefining the identity management space.

1. Ian Glazer

Ian Glazer is a thought leader and influencer specializing in identity management and privacy. As founder and president of Weave Identity, he offers advisory services to organizations looking to advance their understanding of Identity and Access Management (IAM). Previously, Ian was Senior Vice President of Identity Product Management at Salesforce, where he led product strategy and key initiatives. He has been a prominent industry spokesperson, delivering keynotes at major events like Identiverse and RSA.

Our Take: Ian is a recognized leader in crafting secure, modern, and flexible user experiences. His insights can help engineers build robust SaaS apps based on best practices he’s developed from years of experience.

2. Andrew Hindle

Andrew (Andi) Hindle is a digital identity and privacy consultant. Since 2015, he’s been the Content Chair for Identiverse and a founding member of IDPro, where he chairs the Newsletter Committee. He’s also active in OIX and Kantara. Before this, Andi developed Ping Identity’s European and Asia Pacific businesses, with past roles at Adobe, Macromedia, and Allaire.

Our Take: Andi is a pro at identity strategy, go-to-market planning, and driving growth. He’s also a seasoned speaker and a trusted voice on industry standards.

3. Martin Kuppinger

Martin Kuppinger is founder and principal analyst at KuppingerCole, a leading identity-focused security analyst firm. He’s authored over 50 IT books and numerous articles in top German tech magazines. A respected speaker and moderator, Martin’s expertise spans identity management, virtualization, cloud computing, and IT security. He’s a seasoned speaker and moderator at seminars and conferences.

Our Take: With a background in economics and decades of software architecture experience, Martin combines deep identity expertise with a business perspective.

4. Alexei Balaganski

Alexei Balagansaki, an analyst at KuppingerCole since 2004, specializes in cybersecurity and AI-related applications. As an acting CTO, he covers various security topics, from database protection to AI-based automation. His technical expertise helps customers with complex challenges. Alexei’s background in app development, network admin, and infosec supports his cybersecurity market research.

Our Take: Just as Martin Kuppinger is a great influencer to follow for the business side of things, Alexei covers all the important backend aspects of SaaS Identity.

5. David Birch

David Birch is a seasoned public speaker, and has presented at TEDx, Wired, and other major events. He’s a skilled moderator for panels at international conferences like Mobile World Congress and SIBOS. David’s workshops are both educational and entertaining, featuring unique tasks for participants. His expertise spans various topics, making him adept at fostering meaningful discussions.

Our Take: David doesn’t shy away from voicing bold opinions and making controversial predictions, especially when it comes to identity in the financial sector.

6. Paul Simmonds

Paul Simmonds is a Fellow Analyst at KuppingerCole and CEO of the Global Identity Foundation. With a background as Global CISO for AstraZeneca and ICI, and identity-centric roles at Motorola and at a high-security web hosting provider, he brings deep expertise to the table. Paul also co-edited the Cloud Security Alliance’s “Security Guidance for Critical Areas of Focus in Cloud Computing v3.0.”

Our Take: Twice named among Network World’s “most powerful in networking,” Paul’s award-winning CIAM insights are essential for your feed.

7. Simon Moffatt

With over 20 years in identity management and cybersecurity, Simon Moffat is the founder of The Cyber Hut, providing global analysis and education. He co-hosts “The Week in Identity” podcast, covering IAM trends, and is an accomplished author of the first best-selling book on consumer IAM. Certified in various fields and UK SC cleared until 2033, Simon also focuses on geopolitical cyber defense.

Our Take: Simon is at the forefront of Identity, thanks in large part to the insightful podcasts he hosts. He’s definitely someone you want to have on your radar.

8. John Fontana

John Fontana is a prominent ZDNet blogger and serves as an Identity Evangelist and FIDO Alliance representative for Yubico, creators of the YubiKey and strong advocates of multi-factor authentication (MFA) in SaaS applications. With a passion for identity security, his articles have been published in the New York Times, Mashable, and CNN. John worked at Ping Identity previously.

Our Take: John ensures that his contributions are meaningful and relevant, avoiding the clutter of excessive posts. Follow John to stay informed without the noise.

9. Steve Wilson 

Steve Wilson is a leading researcher and analyst in data protection, currently serving as a digital identity advisor to several governments, including Australia and Singapore. With ten patents to his name, he’s been recognized as one of the most original thinkers in digital identity by ethnographer Tricia Wang. His work began in public key infrastructure, focusing on digital credentials and the data behind digital identities.

Our Take: Also the founder of Lockstep, a digital identity and privacy consultancy, Steve is constantly surfacing the biggest things happening in the Identity space.

10. Lance Peterman

Lance Peterman heads the IAM program at Dick’s Sporting Goods and boasts over 20 years of experience in technology. His expertise spans identity and access management, risk management, cybersecurity, cloud security, and mobility. Additionally, he serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, teaching Software Architecture & Design.

Our Take: With a long history of speaking at industry events like Identiverse, RSA Conference, and Cloud Identity Summit, Lance is a well known figure in the space.

11. Eve Maler

Eve is a globally recognized leader in identity and access management, specializing in semi-structured data modeling and the API economy. At Venn Factory, she crafts compelling identity strategies that enhance security and privacy in the connected world. A key figure behind protocols like XML, SAML, UMA, and HEART, Eve’s commitment to innovation drives success for Global 5000 clients and industry initiatives. Previously, she was CTO at ForgeRock and a security analyst at Forrester Research.

Our Take: Eve has served as the CTO at ForgeRock and worked as a security analyst at Forrester Research, equipping her to provide identity management insights.

12. Brian Iverson 

Brian has over 25 years of expertise in IAM strategy and deployment. He spent most of his career at KPMG, leading various strategy and product deployment projects across multiple industries. Later, at Gartner, he co-authored the Magic Quadrant for Identity Governance and Administration. Most recently, Brian directed IAM strategy at Bank of America, further solidifying his industry impact.

Our Take: Iverson’s feed may veer into political territory and spark controversy, but his insights on CIAM are always sharp and valuable—making him a must-follow influencer.

13. Andras Cser

Andras Cser is a Principal Analyst at Forrester Research, specializing in IAM and Fraud Management. He is a recognized authority in various aspects of identity management, including access management, user account provisioning, entitlement management, federation, privileged identity management, and role design and management, making him a key voice in the industry.

Our Take: Andras is extremely knowledgeable about the latest trends in MFA, entitlement management, and privileged identity management, making him something of an identity management guru.

14. Heather Flanagan 

Heather Flanagan is the owner of Spherical Cow Consulting, an identity management firm that fosters collaboration within the SaaS space. She serves as a project manager and coordinator for cutting-edge IAM initiatives, focusing on academic and research identity management. Her expertise helps organizations navigate the complexities of identity solutions in today’s digital landscape.

Our Take: Check out Heather’s blog posts, and watch her conference sessions or podcast interviews.

15. Henrique Bernardes

Henrique Bernardes has dedicated himself to enforcing robust identity management to enhance security and user experiences. As Senior Vice President of Strategy at Saviynt, he drives innovation in cloud-first identity governance and privileged access management. With over 25 years of experience in identity and cybersecurity, Henrique has held key roles at Gartner, IBM, Microsoft, and Oracle, influencing CIAM trends and best practices.

Our Take: Follow Henrique ASAP for all things identity. He’s served as the lead author of the Magic Quadrant for Access Management for five years, and it shows.

CIAM influencers transforming the industry

While this list of top CIAM influencers isn’t exhaustive, it will expose you to current trends, reignite your passion, and help optimize your operations for sustainable growth. We also invite you to explore our blog for insights into entitlements, adaptive MFA, hierarchies, multi-apps, and no-code user management—essential elements for thriving in today’s dynamic SaaS landscape.

Also, check out our top full-stack developers to follow in 2024 list.