We enable companies to create personalized, AI-driven digital experiences: Okta

Okta is the world's leading independent partner for identity management. The vision is to free everyone to safely use any technology. We are proving that it’s possible — with seamless and secure access, authentication, and authorization.

Shakeel Khan, Regional VP & Country Head, Okta, India, tells us more. Excerpts from an interview: 

DQ: What unique opportunities or advantages does India provide for Okta’s R&D and product development efforts?

Shakeel Khan: India offers us significant advantages for R&D and product development, driven by its vast pool of skilled engineering talent, cost-effective innovation, and a rapidly growing digital economy. 

Since launching our India operations in August 2023, we have expanded our Bangalore Innovation Center to nearly 500 employees, reflecting our investment in India's technical expertise. The country's deep specialization in cyber security, cloud computing, and AI-driven identity solutions makes it an ideal hub for us to develop advanced security technologies.

India's thriving startup ecosystem and increasing digital adoption also provide us an ideal testing ground for scalable identity solutions, including biometric authentication, fraud detection, and identity threat protection. Key products such as the Governance Analyzer and Identity Threat Protection were developed in India; reinforcing the region's role in our global innovation strategy. 

By expanding our partnerships with IT service providers, we are positioning ourselves as a leader in India's evolving cyber security and identity management landscape.

DQ: M&A activity in India has grown, bringing identity challenges when integrating newly acquired companies. How does Okta’s platform address these challenges to ensure a smooth transition and reduce security risks?

Shakeel Khan: M&A activity in India presents significant identity security challenges. With India being the second most targeted nation for cyber attacks in 2024 and the average cost of a data breach reaching Rs 19.5 crore, the stakes are exceptionally high. When companies merge, 40% of data breaches result from compromised third-party suppliers and ransomware attacks, creating multiple points of vulnerability within both parent and acquired organizations.

Okta addresses these challenges through a comprehensive identity security approach that works at every critical stage: Before, During, and After Authentication, we've developed a platform that provides protection throughout the identity lifecycle:

Before authentication: Our Identity Security Posture Management assesses and mitigates risks proactively
During authentication: Adaptive MFA, bot detection, and fine-grained authorization ensure only legitimate access
After authentication: Identity threat protection and universal logout capabilities maintain continuous security.

Our approach has been validated through successful implementations like Warner Brothers, which leveraged our API framework to build a custom interface integrating Discovery's applications. They consolidated to a single platform and successfully migrated nearly 1,000 applications, 45,000 employee and B2B accounts, and approximately 6,000 servers over just eight months—all while maintaining continuous operations.

By focusing on identity as the critical connection point between parent and acquired entities, we provide boards and risk teams with the tools needed to establish a unified security posture, making identity and security vetting a non-negotiable part of the M&A process.

DQ: Identity is moving beyond simple authentication to become a core enabler of digital transformation. Can you share examples of how Okta’s IAM solutions are driving business growth and innovation rather than just security and compliance?

Shakeel Khan: Identity is no longer just about logging in—it is a foundational element of business agility, customer experience, and innovation. Okta empowers businesses by enhancing security, while enabling seamless and scalable operations. Organizations leverage Okta’s capabilities to build secure, frictionless customer experiences, integrate AI-driven automation, and manage large-scale user identities efficiently.

For instance, Hitachi, which oversees 480,000 users across 612 subsidiaries, implemented the Okta Workforce Identity Cloud to modernize its IT infrastructure. By adopting Single Sign-On (SSO), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and automated identity lifecycle management, Hitachi reduced operational complexity, cut costs, and streamlined IT integrations during acquisitions. 

Similarly, Mars leveraged Okta’s identity solutions to accelerate M&A integrations, reducing onboarding time from months to hours and ensuring immediate, secure access to applications.

By offering developer-friendly API integrations, Okta also enables companies to create personalized, AI-driven digital experiences. For example, OpenAI relies on Okta’s Auth0 to manage customer identity for its 130+ million monthly active users, ensuring a seamless and secure user experience at scale. These innovations demonstrate that identity solutions are not just about security—they drive business efficiency, digital transformation, and customer engagement.

DQ: Looking ahead, how do you see the interplay between AI and IAM evolving? Are there any upcoming technologies or approaches Okta is particularly excited about?

Shakeel Khan: The convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and identity and access management (IAM) is set to transform the security landscape. With the rise of deepfake-based identity fraud and AI-driven cyberattacks, IAM solutions must evolve to stay ahead of emerging threats. 

Okta is actively investing in AI-driven identity protection by leveraging machine learning models to detect anomalies, prevent identity fraud, and automate security decision-making.

One of the most exciting developments is Okta’s “Auth for GenAI”, set to launch in 2025, which will bring AI-powered authentication and risk detection to developers building AI-driven applications. Additionally, Okta is focusing on passwordless authentication, leveraging biometrics and AI-powered risk signals to enhance security while reducing friction for users.

Quantum computing also presents a dual challenge for IAM—while it has the potential to break traditional encryption methods, it can also introduce next-generation cryptographic security measures. Okta is actively collaborating with quantum computing research teams to integrate quantum-resistant authentication factors into its identity solutions, ensuring long-term security resilience.