The cybersecurity and software industry plays a major role in digital asset protection and ensuring the security of applications, networks, and systems. This industry focuses on developing tools and solutions that protect data from breaches and manage vulnerabilities, and other threats as more businesses become dependent on technology and the threat of cyberattacks increases. Companies such as Checkmarx offer application security that delivers various services aimed at identifying and mitigating risks in software before they can be exploited. As businesses innovate further and digital transformation advances, the demand for robust security measures is unparalleled, making cybersecurity an imperative core of every business infrastructure. This is a dynamic industry that keeps up with emerging threats and continuous changes in technological advancement to ensure that organizations are resilient against all sorts of cyber challenges. Ori Bendet is the Vice President of Product Management at Checkmarx and has a background in engineering and computer science. With an extensive background in product management and business leadership, he has driven innovation and transformation within the tech industry.At Checkmarx, his leadership has targeted customer-centric solutions, empowering teams, and fostering organizational growth.

The Beginning of a Remarkable Journey: Ori Bender’s Path to Leadership

Ori’s career was initially directed towards engineering after completing his computer science degree. His first significant step was through HP’s student program, a great foundation laid for his growth. HP acquired Mercury Interactive in 2006, one of the largest acquisitions it has made in Israel. He was thrust into an environment full of hot innovation and opportunity, and within two years, he started flashing with great leadership. He was promoted and led a growing team of 12 people across the three territories to achieve his outcomes. This didn’t just imply technical growth: it was rather learning how to lead, build collaborations, and deliver results from a global aspect.

Although he was a great engineer and a technical team leader, he started asking himself a very important question: “What do I want to do when I grow up? ” That introspection led him into the business and product side of the technology world. His breakthrough came through his joining the HP Software Global Innovation program, wherein he gained seed funding for developing his idea- an experience that revealed to him his passion for product management. It was the turning point for him when he realized that building products and strategies was what he was called to do. After nearly eight years at HP, he decided it was time to expand his horizons. He joined an Israeli startup called Time to Know, where he worked on revolutionizing digital learning through advanced technologies. His ability to navigate challenges and deliver results quickly made him known. However, the most significant jump happened in early 2020, when he went to work with Checkmarx, right before the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

Climbing the Ranks at Checkmarx: A Journey of Innovation and Leadership

Ori joined Checkmarx with a clear vision and unmatched work ethic. He went from strength to strength, within less than 2 years, to becoming Vice President of Product Management, responsible for the whole portfolio as well as the strategy for the company. It is a great story of relentless innovation and value delivery to the customer by him. Under his leadership, Checkmarx transformed remarkably. From its point solutions history based on the premises, Checkmarx transformed into a cloud-native SaaS-based organization. He was instrumental in ensuring that the company’s flagship product, Checkmarx One, became the leader in the application security market. Today, with more than 700 enterprise customers and over 1 trillion lines of code scanned each year, Checkmarx One is a testament to his vision and leadership.

A milestone for him during his tenure at Checkmarx was the successful launch of the company’s first open-source project, KICS, or Keeping Infrastructure as Code Secure. As the lead product manager and part of the founding team, he contributed to making KICS the most successful open-source project by Checkmarx, reaching millions of downloads and being adopted by industry leaders around the world. KICS reached 6 million downloads by the end of 2024, growing 100 percent a year since its launch. It was truly remarkable and testified to his capacity for building impactful solutions.

The Core Values and Leadership Principles that Define a Successful Career Path

What makes him an exceptional leader cannot be attributed only to his technical know-how or business strategy, he has some essential personal qualities and principles that support his success. According to him, three significant traits have made him successful: he can find the “vacuums” within the organization and the tasks or responsibilities that lack ownership. Instead of ignoring these vacuums, he fills them, gaining greater visibility and responsibilities. For instance, as a QA manager, he took responsibility for an early access program of a new product—work way beyond his formal responsibilities. Likewise, at Checkmarx, he owned the tools for product management to position himself as an asset that senior leadership couldn’t afford to lose. Attention to detail and empathy are part of the very fabric of his leadership style. Whether it is a team member’s moment of weakness or a celebration with the entire team, he ensures that his colleagues feel valued. One instance that stands out is when he gifted a Lego set to a product manager on the verge of burnout, reigniting her energy and motivation.

 Additionally, he believes in possessing his career road rather than hoping that opportunities wait for him on his doorstep. In the earliest days, he established clear and precise goals as well as consulted tightly with his line managers to successfully implement them. When people criticized him by asking him not to become too special or whatever, it helped him challenge the team better to make room in which everyone else could shine and flourish. Finally, he is renowned for his radical honesty and giving constructive feedback. He earned much respect from his peers and those he manages. He doesn’t have niceties in assessing people but will always say something that can be worked on for improvement. This is hard sometimes, but it is a way to build trust and make positive changes with his teams.

The Guiding Principles, Leadership Ideals, and Resilient Challenges That Shape Ori’s Unstoppable Journey to Success

Ori’s leadership philosophy is grounded in four core principles that guide his management and decision-making approach. He values Integrity and Transparency, emphasizing open communication and honesty. Whether delivering tough messages or celebrating successes, he ensures his teams are always aligned and informed. His Customer-Centricity drives his passion for solving customer problems, with a firm belief that a product’s success is measured by the value it delivers to users. He also embraces the spirit of Adaptability with Vision in balancing the necessity for a clear vision with an appreciation for changing and moving directions, so necessary when operating at the boundaries of human civilization’s next chapters of history, even through its evolving AI chapter.

Lastly, Empowerment and Growth are hallmarks of his leadership since he has made a promise to grow talent and establish a culture of continuous growth and ensures his teams have all the tools needed to be successful for long-term development. He also reflects on significant challenges in his career. He accepts that some of the most difficult decisions are people’s decisions whether to let go of someone or to shut down a product. Such times demand tremendous balancing between empathy, humility, and decisiveness. The second significant challenge was transforming Checkmarx into a SaaS company that meant not only technical change but also cultural change in the organization. His leadership through these transitions has been pivotal in overcoming obstacles and driving success.

 Acknowledging Excellence: Milestones, Achievements, and a Vision for the Road Ahead

Ori has significantly built his profession through great accomplishment and recognition throughout. At Time to Know, he was acknowledged as the first-ever CEO MVP for building the new product starting from scratch with the result after just six months which increased 270 percent usage monthly of this product starting within eight months since its initial release. This demonstrated that it had the effect of growing and had an impact. He is credited to have been a key figure in the success of KICS, Checkmarx’s first open-source project, which has been downloaded by millions around the globe. He also spearheaded the change of Checkmarx One into the leading platform for application security, furthering his leadership legend that resulted in the development of successful products and organizational transformation.

Looking ahead, his career continues to evolve. With nearly two decades of experience in the high-tech industry, he now focuses on the new heights to be achieved. His long-term aspiration is to become a Chief Product Officer (CPO) and later establish his startup. He has demonstrated his experience coupled with the vision to keep up the streak for further influence. His ability to innovate, deliver results, and inspire the teams portrays all his future endeavors as critically as his past: growth and leadership in the industry.

Essential Leadership Insights: Key Advice for Aspiring Leaders

Ori provides three tips for emerging leaders: clarity, ownership, and balance. He maintains that he can’t do anything so obvious except: maintaining clarity in goal-setting and ensuring that plans drawn are actionable and toward achieving such goals. “A goal without a plan is just a wish,” he notes, underlining execution and commitment as much as ever. He urges professionals to own their careers by seeking out opportunities and filling gaps that are outside the official job scope. Equally, there must be a sense of balance. He believes leaders work best when personal well-being comes first. He recommends making “happy hours” in one’s calendar—whether for family time, hobbies, or just self-reflection.

For him, building Lego sets with his children is one of the things he enjoys, as it brings creativity in strengthening the relationship between him and his loved ones. He also needs empathy and communication. A good leader listens to, backs, and gives constructive feedback that helps growth. Last but not least, he advises being adaptable and not afraid of changes. The tech world keeps changing fast and so do its leaders, pivoting when necessary while remaining open to innovation and ready to learn through challenges. Principles for aspiring leadership: he teaches them how not only to carve a successful career but also lay down a legacy.