Q&A with Megha Sharma, Aryaka’s New General Counsel
Ken Rutsky, Aryaka’s Chief Marketing Officer, sits down with our newest executive team member, Megha Sharma, to chat about her journey, her take on Aryaka, and what excites her about the future of networking and security.
Ken Rutsky: Welcome to Aryaka, Megha! We’re thrilled to have you on board as our new General Counsel. What drew you to Aryaka?
Megha Sharma: Thanks, Ken! I’m excited to be here. What really stood out to me about Aryaka is the company’s innovative approach to networking and security. The Unified SASE as a Service model is redefining the industry, and that kind of game-changing mindset resonates with me. Plus, Aryaka is growing fast, and I love helping companies find ways to navigate complex legal landscapes and become more efficient as they scale to new heights.
Ken: Speaking of that, you’ve had quite an impressive career – guiding companies through IPOs, M&A, and major transactions. What’s your secret sauce for managing legal in high-growth environments?
Megha: First and foremost, it’s making sure my team understands the “why” behind what we are doing. This helps us assess risk and find solutions in alignment with the business strategy. I focus on efficiency, practicality, and scalability – helping companies move fast and get to “yes” while staying compliant.
Ken: That makes a lot of sense. I imagine that kind of approach is crucial for a company like Aryaka, which is constantly evolving. What are your top priorities as you settle into the role?
Megha: First, I want to deeply understand the business. From a legal standpoint, my priorities include:
✅ Supporting Aryaka’s growth and making sure we’re structured for success in new markets and opportunities.
✅ Streamlining legal processes, so we can do more as a team and scale faster.
✅ Strengthening our compliance and governance in an evolving regulatory environment.
Lastly, de-mystifying legal for the business teams! The best legal teams I have worked with have an open door and are available to help, on legal and any other matters where we can contribute. That is how we become the team of “YES.”
Ken: Love that! Okay, shifting gears—let’s talk about the networking and security industry. It’s a space that’s evolving rapidly with cloud, AI, and zero-trust architectures. What excites you about this industry?
Megha: As work has moved outside of the four corners of the office, to cloud solutions, dispersed locations around the world with remote work, and into AI solutions, networking and security solutions that protect data and confidential information at the rapidly accelerating pace of business is critical.
Businesses need secure, high-performance networks more than ever, and Aryaka is at the center of that transformation. The legal landscape is also evolving with AI laws and cross-border compliance jumping to the forefront, so there’s always a new challenge to tackle.
Ken: Since you mentioned AI, let’s put you on the spot -if you could have an AI assistant for one task in your role, what would it be?
Megha: Ha! I love this question. If an AI could automate contract review and instantly flag risks in agreements, that would be a game-changer! AI is great at spotting patterns, so having a tool that filters through contracts and highlights key legal points would save a ton of time. That said, I don’t think AI will replace lawyers anytime soon, it’s all about using it to make us more efficient.
Ken: Let’s wrap with a fun one—when you’re not closing deals and managing legal strategy, what do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Megha: I love traveling when I can – we have two young kids, so traveling now is always an exercise in madness, but it is fun to explore new places and cultures where we can. I also love trying out new restaurants (please send your recommendations!), and of course, spending time with family and friends.
Ken: Alright, last question—what’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?
Megha: You have to be a bit of an adrenaline junkie to love the types of transactions I have led at work – I occasionally carry that love for adrenaline over to my real life and in one summer I went whitewater river rafting (loved), skydiving (hated) and ziplining (loved). That all seemed like nothing though compared to some of the tough negotiations I have gone through!
Ken: Okay, now I’m impressed! Megha, this has been a blast. Welcome again to Aryaka—we’re lucky to have you!
Megha: Thanks, Ken! I can’t wait to dive in and help Aryaka continue its incredible journey.
Want to connect with Megha? Follow her on [LinkedIn] and stay tuned for more insights as she helps shape Aryaka’s next chapter!
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