Chief Executive Officer / Chief Executive Officer

Location

Zurich, Switzerland | Full-time | 100%

About Bastionne

Bastionne builds sovereignty infrastructure for critical systems. We assist governments, defense organizations, and critical infrastructure operators in maintaining sovereign control of their systems, data, and operations, even in contested, compromised, and disconnected environments—without reliance on external CAs or PKI. Every device transforms into a bastion; together, they create a comprehensive Bastionne ecosystem.

The Role

We are seeking a founder-caliber CEO to guide Bastionne through its next growth phase. The focus will be on scaling sovereign machine identity and zero-trust infrastructure from initial defense and critical infrastructure deployments into a category-defining platform. You will take ownership of strategy, technical vision, commercial execution, and capital strategy, while remaining actively engaged with architecture, threat modeling, and identity design.

Requirements

Must have:

• Proven track record as a founder/CEO of a technology company, ideally leading it to profitability
• A second company built from first principles to achieve self-sustaining revenue
• Hands-on experience in architecting security-critical or decentralized identity systems, including threat modeling
• In-depth expertise in zero-trust architecture and machine/device identity management
• Full-stack technical fluency (e.g., C++, C, Swift) to engage credibly with engineering teams
• Experience with IAM integration and DevSecOps
• A background in fintech/payments or other high-assurance regulated environments
• Cryptography or AI/ML security certifications
• Recognition in cybersecurity/defense innovation (awards, publications)
• Willingness to be based in or relocate to Zurich
• Excellent public-speaking and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex technical topics effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Strong executive presence and professional communication skills to represent the company credibly in senior-level customer, investor, government, and industry engagements
• A resilient and composed mindset, with the capability to operate effectively under pressure and engage credibly with defense, security, law enforcement, and critical infrastructure stakeholders
• First-hand experience or familiarity with high-risk, adversarial, or operationally challenging environments is considered an advantage

Apply online using the form below. Please note that only applications matching the job profile will be considered.