August 14, 2024 at 10:05AM
Palo Alto Networks faced criticism after hiring only women dressed as lampshades at a Black Hat networking event, deeming it misogynistic. CMO Unnikrishnan KP and CEO Nikesh Arora publicly apologized for the “tone-deaf” decision, emphasizing commitment to diversity and inclusion. The incident sparked backlash from cybersecurity professionals and received widespread condemnation on social media.
The meeting notes describe a controversial incident at the Black Hat conference in which Palo Alto Networks (PAN) faced severe criticism for employing women to stand at their networking event dressed as illuminated human lamps. The incident led to public outrage and reprimands from PAN’s executives, including an apology from the chief marketing officer and the chairman and CEO. Additionally, the company reinforced its brand representation guidelines and committed to enhanced management review of all external-facing brand representations.
Furthermore, the notes mention input from Olivia Rose, a veteran global CISO, who highlighted that some women at PAN were too scared to speak up about the decision, suggesting a concerning work culture. There were also reactions from individuals on LinkedIn expressing disappointment and disapproval of the lampshade-wearing women, with criticisms of objectification and lack of equality.
Overall, the meeting notes illustrate the public relations and internal cultural impact of the incident, as well as the company’s response to address the issue and reassure stakeholders of its commitment to inclusion and diversity.