Prashanth Challa

In his current role as Managing Director and Head of Wealth Management Cybersecurity at Morgan Stanley, Prashanth Challa leads a dedicated team in safeguarding against cyberattacks by enhancing the security of wealth management hardware, networks, applications, and users. He emphasizes the continuous challenge in his role, noting, “there is no off-switch in my position," as threats persistently emerge seeking to compromise private information of countless individuals.

Before his appointment at Morgan Stanley in 2017, Challa held the position of Head of Cybersecurity at a startup, where his focus was on leveraging big data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to improve threat detection analytics and counsel clients on optimal cybersecurity practices. Challa's career began at the National Security Agency (NSA), where his work involved leading a team in computer network operations, developing exploits and implants for foreign intelligence collection, and specializing in the exploitation of cryptographic devices. This early experience provided a solid foundation for his subsequent roles in the private sector.

Challa holds a master's degree in theoretical mathematics and a bachelor's degree in computer engineering from The Johns Hopkins University. He is also an active speaker on contemporary cybersecurity issues, with topics including "Crypto, NFTs & the Metaverse: The New Frontiers of Cybersecurity", "Combating Cyber Fraud in a Digital World", and "Cybersecurity in the Age of AI: Power, Peril & Protecting Yourself". These engagements reflect his deep expertise and ongoing commitment to addressing key challenges in the field of cybersecurity.