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Atheel, Consulting Director at Unit 42

Atheel Haddad

Consulting Director

Career Development | Innovation & Impact

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Accelerating Career Growth - Atheel’s Leadership Journey

Internal mobility is a core pillar of our culture at Palo Alto Networks, allowing our experts to evolve alongside our technology. Atheel, a Consulting Director based in EMEA, is approaching his two-year PANniversary with Palo Alto Networks. He reflects on his recent move to a leadership role within Unit 42. Read on for more insights from Atheel.

What has been the most exciting aspect of your new role?

The most exciting aspect of my new role has been how dynamic and engaging the first 180 days have been. It’s been a period of intense learning and sharing, connecting with clients, developing new business opportunities, and gaining exposure to a wide variety of activities on a daily basis. I’ve especially enjoyed the strong sense of teamwork and the openness around knowledge sharing. On top of that, the warm welcome I’ve received across several offices worldwide has made the experience both energizing and rewarding.

How do you feel this shift has positively impacted your career path?

This shift has had a very positive impact on my career path. Moving from Cortex Professional Services, with a strong technical background, gave me a solid foundation that allowed me to step up into the Unit 42 Consulting Director role with confidence. It enabled me to broaden my scope from hands-on technical delivery to strategic consulting, client engagement, and business development, while still leveraging my technical expertise. Overall, it’s been a natural and empowering progression that aligns well with both my experience and long-term career goals.

Where do you see yourself moving forward within the company?

Moving forward, I see myself continuing to grow within the company by further strengthening Unit 42’s consulting impact, both with clients and internally. I aim to deepen strategic partnerships with customers, help expand and mature our consulting offerings, and mentor the next generation of leaders by sharing technical and consulting expertise. Over time, I’d like to take on broader leadership responsibilities, contributing to the company’s global strategy while continuing to drive collaboration across teams and regions.

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