Aeris names Suresh Sathyamurthy as Chief Marketing Officer

Aeris has appointed Suresh Sathyamurthy as Chief Marketing Officer as it expands its focus on what it describes as Physical AI.

Sathyamurthy will oversee marketing, communications, and go-to-market strategy at the connected technology company. The role is intended to support Aeris's push into markets tied to autonomous vehicles, robotics, and other machines operating in the physical world.

The appointment adds another senior technology marketing executive as Aeris looks to build on its base of 115 million connected devices and support for 45 million connected vehicles already on the road. The company provides IoT connectivity management, security, and connected vehicle programmes for communications service providers, original equipment manufacturers, and utility groups.

Sathyamurthy joins with more than two decades of executive leadership experience across large technology companies and start-ups. He has previously held senior roles at Palo Alto Networks, Dell EMC, and Microsoft.

In past roles, he helped grow Microsoft Azure from its early stages into a multi-billion-dollar business, according to Aeris. He also led marketing for Palo Alto Networks' largest division.

Expansion push

Aeris is positioning itself around the growing use of autonomous systems and software-led mobility, where it argues that connectivity and security demands for physical hardware are increasing. Sathyamurthy is expected to help expand its global go-to-market organisation and extend its reach into newer markets linked to Physical AI systems.

The strategy reflects a broader shift in investment toward robotics, autonomous systems, and connected industrial equipment. For companies in those sectors, maintaining secure and reliable links between devices, vehicles, and networks has become more important as more tasks move from software applications into machinery operating in real-world environments.

Aeris sees that shift creating a larger market for connectivity management and security services. The company has built its business around connected vehicles and IoT deployments and is now presenting that experience as a foundation for expansion into adjacent segments involving autonomous machines.

Chief Executive Officer and Board Director Aziz Benmalek pointed to the company's existing customer relationships as part of that effort.

"Aeris has spent years earning the trust of enterprises who depend on us to keep their most critical assets connected and secure. As Physical AI reshapes how the world moves, builds, and operates, our customers need a partner who can match that pace," said Aziz Benmalek, Chief Executive Officer and Board Director, Aeris.

"Suresh brings the experience and vision, and I'm confident he'll help us scale with the speed and ambition this market demands," Benmalek said.

Career background

The hire brings in an executive whose career has spanned infrastructure, cloud, and cybersecurity marketing. That mix may be relevant for Aeris as it seeks to appeal to customers dealing with connected vehicles, industrial systems, and machine-to-machine communications.

Sathyamurthy described AI's shift from software interfaces to physical devices as a key part of the opportunity.

"AI is moving off the screen and into the physical world, powering autonomous fleets, robotics, and intelligent infrastructure everywhere," said Suresh Sathyamurthy, Chief Marketing Officer, Aeris.

"Few companies have the connectivity and security foundation Aeris has built over the years. I'm excited to build on that foundation and work alongside Aziz and the team to lead this next era of growth," Sathyamurthy said.

Aeris serves 7,000 enterprise customers and works with more than 30 mobile network operator partners worldwide. Its operations span automotive, utilities and energy, fleet management and logistics, medical devices, and manufacturing.

The company argues that as Physical AI systems take on more autonomy, network outages and security incidents carry greater operational and safety risks. Against that backdrop, Aeris is seeking to deepen its position in markets where connected machines need continuous communications links and tighter security controls.