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Matthias, Domain Consulting Manager at Palo Alto Networks, Germany and Alps.

Matthias Maier

Manager, Domain Consulting

EMEA | Blog | Innovation & Impact

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

My First Six Months: Leading with Purpose at Palo Alto Networks

When I started my journey at Palo Alto Networks six months ago, I was stepping into a new identity as the Domain Consulting Manager for Germany and Alps. It was a massive leap, but the excitement of joining a company with such a clear and crucial mission quickly turned any nervousness into pure adrenaline.

My career has always been driven by two passions: technology and people. I’ve found that at Palo Alto Networks, they are completely intertwined - and that's where I discovered my ultimate "why." Our mission isn't just about pioneering cutting-edge security platforms like Cortex XSIAM with its strong AI capabilities; it’s about making the world a safer place. The only way we achieve that is through the amazing people we bring together.

The Manager’s Launchpad: Investing in Leadership

How does Palo Alto Networks support leadership growth? The company ensures its leaders are set up for success from day one. My onboarding felt less like training and more like a true "Manager's Launchpad," designed to prepare me for the challenges and opportunities ahead. Key elements included:

FLIGHT Onboarding Program: This deep dive allowed me to experience what my team members face, ensuring I understand the top technologies Palo Alto Networks develops and invests in.
Leadership Accelerator Training: Intense, targeted sessions focusing on essential skills like coaching and strategic planning.
Rigorous HR Process Training: Crucial preparation for everything from managing performance to hiring top talent effectively.

From Hiring to High-Performing: The Joy of Team Building

The most profound shift has been the focus on team building and enabling others. My sense of accomplishment now comes from seeing my team members solve tough customer problems, and knowing I helped clear the path for them to get there.

Building a world-class team is the most rewarding, and often the most challenging, part of the job. In these six months, we've focused heavily on bringing in the right talent (shoutout to our newest Domain Consultants, Bastian and Aurelien!) and aligning our technical expertise with our strategic goals.

It's about fostering a culture where every engineer, domain consultant, and specialist feels empowered to lead. Watching a team member land a critical, complex deal, or seeing the whole team collaborate to turn a customer pain point into a Cortex success story, is a different kind of achievement. It’s a shared success, amplified by the diverse talent we have across the DACH region.

Connecting People, Technology, and the Mission

If you’re looking for a role that offers both personal growth and global impact, this is it. Every day, the work my team does - helping major companies adopt revolutionary security strategies—connects directly to the highest purpose: securing the future.

My management journey at Palo Alto Networks has taught me one thing: the most powerful force in cybersecurity isn't the technology, but the human element. It's the talented people who build it, sell it, and deploy it. I am incredibly proud to be part of this community, helping to lead a team that is not just meeting business objectives but actively contributing to a safer digital world.

If you’re ready to evolve your career, lead with purpose, and be part of a company that invests in you as much as it invests in innovation, I encourage you to take the leap. We’re building something amazing, and we need great people to do it.

Join Palo Alto Networks.

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