Staples Names Brett Wahlin Chief Information Security Officer

PRESS RELEASE

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – Staples, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPLS) today announced Brett Wahlin has been appointed to the role of Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).

In this new role, Wahlin will be responsible for global enterprise-wide information, product and data security. He will report to Chief Technology Officer Faisal Masud, who leads Staples Digital Solutions, a new organization within the company which combines its traditional IT and digital organizations.

Wahlin’s role will be key in the digital transformation of Staples’ business. As customer needs evolve rapidly towards greater use of technology with an acceleration into online and mobile, security threats will continue to increase. Wahlin’s role expands beyond traditional cyber security into product development, connected devices, fraud and loss prevention.

“Brett has nearly 30 years of experience leading large enterprise information security architecture, policy, operations and development,” said Masud. “The security of both our customers’ and Staples’ data is critical, and we’ll look to Brett to bring his knowledge of the latest security standards and best practices to the role, as we continue to evolve into a digital-first company.”

Wahlin joins Staples from Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE), where he served as vice president and CISO. While at HPE, he was responsible for all aspects of information security, including security operations and intelligence, security architecture, cyber risk and governance, product lifecycle security, business security and transformation, industry next security and cyber service delivery. He built world-class, extensible security capabilities that protected HPE’s assets and workforce, enabled and extended business capabilities and showcased its security solutions at work.

Previously, Wahlin served as Chief Security Officer (CSO) for Sony Network Entertainment International and CSO at McAfee. He has also worked as CISO at Los Alamos National Laboratory, vice president of security architecture for Wells Fargo, and held various positions in security with Intel. He began his career as a counterintelligence agent in the US Army.

Staples, Inc. 
Staples brings technology and people together in innovative ways to consistently deliver products, services and expertise that elevate and delight customers. Staples is in business with businesses and is passionate about empowering people to become true professionals at work. Headquartered outside of Boston, Mass., Staples, Inc. operates primarily in North America, with additional offices in South America and Asia. More information about Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS) is available at www.staples.com.