Andre Durand, a visionary Black entrepreneur on a mission to make the Internet safer by revolutionizing identity security, has cemented his position as one of America’s renowned tech entrepreneurs.
He founded Ping Identity in 2002, where he serves as chairman and CEO and provides next-generation identity security to more than 1,500 of the world’s most demanding enterprises, including 50 of the Fortune 100.
Prior to co-founding Ping Identity in 2002, Durand, who started his career at KPMG in 1991 and holds a BA in Biology and Economics from the University of California at Santa Barbara, founded Durand Communications in 1993, pioneering the online photograph database and Windows NT client/server bulletin board.
Under Durand’s leadership, Ping Identity has become a pioneer in next-generation identity security. In 2023, he introduced PingOne Neo, a groundbreaking decentralized identity solution, giving people unprecedented control over their identity and privacy.
Recognized by Billionaires.Africa, Durand’s impact on these five enterprises showcases his exceptional business acumen in the tech world.
- Ping Identity Holding
Ping Identity Holding Corporation, co-founded by Durand and Bryan Field-Elliot in 2002, is a software holding company headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Initially listed on the New York Stock Exchange, it later became a part of Thoma Bravo’s portfolio after being acquired in October 2022. Prior to this, Vista Holdings had taken the company public in 2016, with Vista holding an 80 percent ownership stake. Thoma Bravo’s acquisition of Ping Identity amounted to an impressive $2.8 billion in an all-cash transaction, and the deal was successfully finalized in October 2022.
- Ping Identity Corp
Ping Identity Corporation operates as a subsidiary of Ping Identity Holding Corporation, specializing in an extensive range of digital and online identity protection services via its renowned Ping Intelligent Identity platform. Ping has achieved global recognition as a leading provider of enterprise identity security. Its parent company is Ping Identity Holding.
- Jamf Holding Corporation
Jamf Holding Corporation, known for its innovative endpoint protection solutions designed for Apple products, focuses on security management that reduces risk and helps organizations maintain a streamlined, secure end-user experience. Notably, since 2017, Durand has served as a key director on the board of this influential corporation.
- Jabber LLC
Jabber, Inc., established in 2000, is a company co-founded by Durand and Perry Evans. It specializes in developing and marketing commercial real-time presence and messaging solutions used by businesses worldwide. The company’s origin traces back to the commercialization of the Jabber open-source instant messaging platform. In 2008, Cisco acquired Jabber, Inc., further solidifying its impact in the realm of real-time communication solutions.
- Durand Communications
Durand Communications, co-founded by Durand in 1993, holds a significant place in his entrepreneurial journey. It was a pioneering bulletin board software company and is notably known as the world’s first online photograph database. This remarkable achievement garnered the attention of Webb Interactive, resulting in its acquisition in 1998.
