Vensure Employer Solutions has appointed Michael Lockhart as chief information security officer, adding a cybersecurity executive with nearly 30 years of technology experience as the HR technology and services provider expands through acquisitions, product development and global growth.
Lockhart will lead cybersecurity strategy, governance and enterprise risk management across Vensure and its portfolio of employer services brands. His responsibilities include strengthening security capabilities across an organization that serves more than 161,000 businesses in all 50 states and over 175 countries.
The appointment puts cybersecurity leadership at the center of Vensure’s growth strategy as the company manages large volumes of sensitive employer, employee and payroll information. Vensure processes more than $153 billion in annual payroll and provides HR and human capital management technology, professional employer organization services, business process outsourcing and employer-of-record capabilities.
“Michael’s unique combination of technical expertise, strategic leadership, and customer-centric thinking makes him an exceptional addition to our executive team,” CEO Alex Campos said. “As Vensure continues to grow through innovation, acquisition, and global expansion, maintaining the trust of our clients remains paramount.”
Lockhart brings experience across software engineering, DevOps, security operations, penetration testing and large-scale technology architecture. That background gives him exposure to security across the technology lifecycle rather than solely from a governance or compliance perspective.
Most recently, he served as chief information security officer at EagleView, a provider of SaaS-based aerial imagery. Before that, Lockhart held several leadership roles at Salesforce, including director of governance for MuleSoft’s application programming interface platform.
His career has also included managing cybersecurity through mergers and acquisitions and leading compliance initiatives involving SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certifications. Those capabilities are particularly relevant to Vensure as it operates a collection of employer services businesses across multiple markets and regulatory environments.
For companies growing through acquisitions, cybersecurity integration can become an increasingly important part of the M&A process. Newly acquired businesses may arrive with different technology architectures, security controls and risk profiles, requiring companies to establish common standards without disrupting operations.
Lockhart’s security operating model is organized around four areas: minimum viable security, security maturity, cyber-risk management and external governance. The framework is intended to help Vensure prioritize security investments while adapting to changing regulatory requirements and supporting continued business expansion.
“Security should enable growth, not slow it down,” Lockhart said. “Businesses today face a rapidly evolving landscape shaped by emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, and changing privacy requirements.”
His appointment comes as HR technology companies face an increasingly complex security environment. Payroll, benefits, employee records and workforce management platforms handle information that can be particularly sensitive, while the globalization of employer services introduces additional privacy and regulatory considerations across jurisdictions.
The growing use of AI adds another dimension. As HR and business services providers incorporate automation into their platforms and internal operations, security teams must evaluate new data flows, access controls and technology risks without limiting the productivity gains those systems can provide.
Vensure’s scale makes that balance commercially significant. The Chandler, Arizona-based company describes itself as the largest privately held organization in the HR technology and services sector, with operations spanning technology, managed services, PEO, global BPO and employer-of-record services.
That breadth also means cybersecurity must function across multiple products, business units and geographic markets. A common enterprise security framework can help create consistency while allowing individual operations to address risks specific to their services and customers.
Lockhart’s mandate therefore extends beyond defending systems from cyber threats. His role will include integrating security into the infrastructure supporting Vensure’s broader expansion, particularly as the company adds businesses, enters markets and develops technology.
Campos said Lockhart’s experience building security programs in complex, high-growth organizations will support Vensure’s ability to provide secure and reliable services while continuing to scale.
For Vensure, the appointment reflects the increasing strategic importance of cybersecurity within the HR technology market. As employer services platforms become more interconnected and global, security is evolving from a technical function into a core component of customer trust, regulatory compliance and acquisition integration.
Lockhart will be responsible for making that security infrastructure scalable alongside the business, giving Vensure dedicated executive leadership around cyber risk as it continues expanding its global employer services platform.
