New York’s food and beverage industry spans global agribusiness, large-scale distribution networks, specialty retailers, and digitally driven commerce platforms. These organizations operate complex supply chains, logistics systems, and production environments where cybersecurity plays a critical role in protecting operational continuity, intellectual property, and customer trust. The leaders featured here are responsible for securing the infrastructure that supports food production, distribution, and commerce across international markets.
Dr. Robert Zandoli — Global Chief Information Security Officer and Chief Technology Officer, Bunge
Dr. Robert Zandoli serves as Global Chief Information Security Officer and Chief Technology Officer at Bunge, a multinational agribusiness and food company operating in more than 40 countries. He leads global cybersecurity and technology strategy for an organization that manages complex commodity trading, production, and supply chain operations at massive scale. With a doctorate in Information Systems and extensive executive leadership experience, Zandoli focuses on aligning cybersecurity risk management with business strategy, ensuring resilience across operational technology, enterprise systems, and global infrastructure. His work reflects the critical role cybersecurity plays in protecting food supply chains and enabling secure global commerce.
Kurt Saturnia — Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer, Zachys Wine & Liquor
Kurt Saturnia serves as Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at Zachys Wine & Liquor, where he oversees cybersecurity, infrastructure, and digital transformation initiatives. He has led the company’s full migration to cloud-based infrastructure, modernizing operations and improving scalability, reliability, and resilience. Saturnia integrates cybersecurity directly into business operations, ensuring secure e-commerce platforms, payment systems, and digital customer experiences. His leadership demonstrates how cybersecurity enables innovation while protecting high-value transactions and digital retail environments.
Bala Mahadevan — Global Head of Cybersecurity Governance, Risk, Compliance, Data Security, Cyber Analytics and Intelligence, Sysco
Bala Mahadevan serves as Global Head of Cybersecurity Governance, Risk, Compliance, Data Security, Cyber Analytics and Intelligence at Sysco, one of the world’s largest food distribution companies. He leads global cybersecurity governance and risk management initiatives across North America, Europe, and Latin America, building scalable security programs that support global logistics and supply chain operations. With more than two decades of experience, Mahadevan focuses on strengthening cyber resilience, developing intelligence-driven security capabilities, and aligning cybersecurity strategy with enterprise risk and operational priorities. His leadership ensures that critical food distribution infrastructure remains secure and resilient.
James Menard — Director of Infrastructure and Cybersecurity, Baldor Specialty Foods, Inc.
James Menard serves as Director of Infrastructure and Cybersecurity at Baldor Specialty Foods, where he leads cybersecurity operations and infrastructure strategy supporting large-scale food distribution systems. He brings more than 16 years of experience designing and securing enterprise infrastructure across complex, multi-cloud environments. Prior to joining Baldor, Menard spent over a decade at Tory Burch, progressing through engineering and management roles while building and operating enterprise IT systems. His background in systems engineering, infrastructure architecture, and security program development enables him to strengthen operational resilience and protect critical distribution platforms.
Securing the Infrastructure Behind Global Food Supply Chains
Cybersecurity leaders in the food and beverage sector protect systems that underpin global commerce, logistics, and food production. Their work ensures the integrity of supply chains, safeguards sensitive operational data, and enables secure digital transformation across production, distribution, and retail environments. As food and beverage operations become increasingly digitized, cybersecurity leadership plays a central role in maintaining operational continuity and global trust.
From global supply chains and distribution networks, cybersecurity leadership connects directly back to academic and research environments that develop future talent and innovation. Continue exploring this ecosystem in CISOs to Watch in the State of New York’s Higher Education Industry, where security leaders protect research institutions, academic systems, and the next generation of technological advancement.