What Happened to Aparna Bawa?

Aparna Bawa has built a distinguished career spanning legal, finance, and operational leadership within the technology sector, marked by her instrumental roles in scaling rapidly growing companies. Her journey began in law as a corporate and securities attorney at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, followed by a stint in investment banking at Lehman Brothers and Deutsche Bank, where she handled numerous IPO and M&A transactions for technology clients. This diverse early experience provided her with a robust foundation in both legal intricacies and financial strategy, which would prove crucial in her subsequent executive positions.

Bawa then transitioned into in-house legal leadership, serving as Head of Legal and Corporate Development for Inphi Corp. She gained significant recognition as Vice President and General Counsel for Nimble Storage, playing a key role in its initial public offering in 2013 and later its acquisition by Hewlett Packard Enterprise in 2017. Following this, she was Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Magento Commerce, which was acquired by Adobe in 2018. These experiences honed her expertise in corporate governance, global compliance, and navigating complex M&A landscapes, preparing her for broader operational responsibilities.

Her tenure at Zoom Video Communications began in 2018 as Chief Legal Officer. She quickly rose through the ranks, becoming Chief Operating Officer in May 2020, a pivotal time when Zoom experienced unprecedented growth due to the global shift to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this role, Bawa oversaw critical functions including People Experience, Government Relations, Security, Privacy, Compliance, and Trust and Safety, demonstrating her ability to manage diverse operational aspects while maintaining a strong legal and ethical framework. Her leadership was vital in scaling Zoom's infrastructure to meet surging demand and addressing public concerns regarding security and privacy.

Beyond her corporate roles, Bawa has actively contributed to the broader technology and academic communities. She was appointed to the board of directors of Palo Alto Networks in May 2021, a testament to her expertise in cybersecurity and corporate governance. In December 2025, she was elected to the Marquette University Board of Trustees, her alma mater. Further cementing her influence, she was named Chair of TechNet, a national bipartisan network of innovation economy leaders, for the 2025-2026 term, effective January 2025.

A significant turning point in her career occurred on April 2, 2026, when Intel Corporation announced her appointment as Executive Vice President and Chief Legal & People Officer. This move sees her departing Zoom, with her resignation as COO effective May 8, 2026. At Intel, Bawa will report directly to CEO Lip-Bu Tan and will be responsible for leading the company's global legal, ethics, compliance, people, and culture organizations, playing a central role in Intel's ongoing transformation. This appointment highlights her recognized ability to drive cultural change, operational rigor, and strategic talent management at a critical juncture for an industry giant.