Okta appoints Sunil Kedaraji as APJ Partner Vice President

Okta has appointed Sunil Kedaraji as Vice President, Channels and Strategic Alliances for Asia Pacific and Japan, overseeing the company's partner business across the region.

Based in Singapore, Kedaraji will work with sales, alliances, channel and go-to-market teams across APJ. His remit includes deepening strategic partnerships, strengthening partner capability and expanding the scale of regional partner operations.

The appointment comes as identity management and cybersecurity providers seek closer ties with resellers, integrators and alliance partners in a market shaped by AI adoption and evolving security demands. Partners are central to Okta's approach in APJ as organisations manage new forms of digital identity and access.

Kedaraji brings more than 24 years of experience in the technology sector, including senior partner and channel leadership roles focused on cybersecurity and identity.

Before joining Okta, he held leadership positions at Saviynt, SailPoint, Proofpoint and Quest Software. Those roles gave him experience at companies that sell identity, access and security software through indirect channels and strategic partner networks.

Dan Mountstephen, Senior Vice President and General Manager, APJ, Okta, said partnerships are central to the company's regional growth strategy.

"Partners are fundamental to how we grow across APJ and help customers address increasingly complex security and technology environments," said Mountstephen. "Sunil brings deep experience building and scaling partner ecosystems across the region, along with a strong understanding of identity and cybersecurity. His leadership will help us deepen our strategic partnerships, expand our reach and create more opportunities for Okta and our partners to deliver for customers."

Regional focus

Okta's decision to appoint a senior regional partner executive reflects the importance of Asia Pacific and Japan for software suppliers building indirect sales routes. The region includes markets with differing levels of cloud adoption, cybersecurity maturity and channel structure, often requiring local partner relationships rather than a single regional model.

In identity and access management, vendors are also responding to a broader shift in customer requirements. The rise of AI systems and AI agents has added new layers of complexity around who or what is granted access to systems, data and applications, increasing pressure on companies to manage identities beyond employees and customers.

That shift also has commercial implications for software groups that depend on implementation and advisory partners. Systems integrators, service providers and specialist security consultancies are often the first point of contact for companies assessing identity controls, access policies and governance models linked to AI projects.

Kedaraji joins as organisations across APJ navigate a rapidly changing identity landscape. AI and AI agents are creating new identities, connections and access requirements across enterprises, while cyber threats continue to evolve.

Partner strategy

Okta's regional partner strategy is likely to focus on helping customers put identity controls in place as they adopt AI tools. For vendors in this segment, that means relying on partners not only for sales reach but also for implementation, technical advice and ongoing account development.

Kedaraji described the commercial opportunity for Okta and its partners in APJ in direct terms.

"There is a significant opportunity for Okta and our partners across APJ. Customers are moving quickly with AI, but they also need to understand how to secure it and manage the new identities and access it creates," said Kedaraji. "Partners have an important role to play in helping customers navigate that change. My focus will be on working closely with our teams and partners to strengthen the ecosystem across APJ, build greater capability and create more opportunities for us to grow together."

The hire also underlines how software companies are investing in channel leadership as competition intensifies in identity security. Executives with experience across multiple vendors can bring established partner relationships and an understanding of how regional alliances differ across markets such as Australia, Singapore, Japan and India.

For Okta, the move places an experienced channel executive in charge of a region where customers are reassessing identity controls as AI projects expand. Kedaraji's previous roles at Saviynt, SailPoint, Proofpoint and Quest Software give him experience across adjacent areas of the security and identity market.