About Validato

At Validato, we believe that true cybersecurity isn’t about reacting to threats — it’s about proactively validating your defences before an attack ever happens.

As the leading Security Control Validation Platform, we empower organisations to move beyond guesswork and achieve continuous cyber resilience.

Our mission is to provide CISOs and security teams with the impartial, data-driven insights they need to make confident, strategic decisions. We help you transform your Security Control from a static, reactive state to a dynamic, threat-informed defence.

Our Founders

Ronan Lavelle
Ronan LavelleCo-Founder & CTO | Cyber Risk & GRC Specialist
Ronan Lavelle is a seasoned technology leader with over 30 years of experience in the cybersecurity and tech sectors. As the Co-founder and CEO of Validato, he specialises in helping enterprise clients build resilient cyber risk mitigation strategies and advanced security controls.

Ronan holds an MBA from Newcastle University, a BA in Business Studies, and a Postgraduate Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).
Outside of his professional life, he is an avid sailor who takes to the water whenever his schedule allows.

Andrew Brown
Andrew BrownCo-Founder & CEO | Cyber Risk Specialist
Andrew Brown is a seasoned cybersecurity leader with over 24 years of experience specialising in Risk Quantification, GRC, and digital infrastructure.

Andrew holds a B.Sc. Eng (Elec) from the University of the Witwatersrand. His rigorous engineering background enables him to uniquely bridge the gap between technical infrastructure challenges and executive-level risk management.
When he isn’t securing digital landscapes, Andrew is an avid cyclist who can be found on his road bike in the early morning hours.

Miroslav Solodujev
Miroslav SolodujevCo-Founder
Miroslav Solodujev is a cybersecurity expert with over 25 years of experience across the banking, pharmaceutical, and telecom sectors. Formerly a Security Architect at Accenture and Komerční banka, he has led high-stakes initiatives in penetration testing, incident response, and DevSecOps.

As the founder of CyberSC, Miroslav now specializes in secure AI adoption, focusing on enterprise-grade governance and secure MCP server deployments. He is a CISSP, CISA, and CCNP-certified professional with a degree in Computer Science.

Jan Žentek
Jan ŽentekCo-Founder
Jan Žentek is a seasoned cybersecurity specialist with over 15 years of experience in the financial and manufacturing sectors. Holding a degree with highest honors and certifications like CEH and Prince2, he offers deep expertise in the full Secure Software Development Lifecycle, including threat modeling and penetration testing.

Jan excels at bridging the gap between technical defence and business strategy, having successfully managed security teams and advised organisations on aligning their security posture with long-term corporate objectives.