The well-known cybersecurity expert Chema Alonso has been appointed Vice President and Chief of International Development at Cloudflare, a global company specialized in web infrastructure, cloud performance, and cybersecurity services. This move marks a new chapter in the Spanish engineer’s career following his departure from Telefónica, where he held several executive roles for over a decade.
Alonso confirmed the news himself via his LinkedIn account, coinciding with a strategic moment for Cloudflare as it seeks to strengthen its presence in Europe and Latin America by recruiting high-profile profiles with strong technical expertise and institutional communication skills.
“After many years dedicated to technology, joining an innovative and rapidly growing company that creates the future of Internet technology is a dream come true,” Alonso stated in his post.
A career marked by security and innovation
José María Alonso Cebrián (Madrid, 1975), better known as Chema Alonso, is one of the most recognizable figures in Spain’s tech scene. An engineer in telecommunications from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and a PhD in cybersecurity, he has founded companies like Informática 64 and ElevenPaths, the latter a cybersecurity subsidiary of Telefónica.
His distinctive style—characterized by his wool hat and direct language—has made him a reference figure both in technical circles and mainstream media. Besides his entrepreneurial ventures, Alonso has served as a speaker at conferences, author of books, and maintained his blog “A Coder on the Wrong Side.”
During his time at Telefónica, he led key projects such as the AI platform Aura, the promotion of corporate big data strategies, and digitalization initiatives. However, with the departure of former CEO José María Álvarez-Pallete and the arrival of Marc Murtra as the head of the telecom, his influence gradually waned. His final departure occurred in March 2025, coinciding with the halting of the Kernel project.
International expansion from Madrid
In his new role, Chema Alonso will be responsible for designing and implementing Cloudflare’s international expansion strategy, focusing on key markets such as Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Although the company hasn’t specified his operational location, all signs suggest Alonso will remain based in Madrid, overseeing strategic partnerships, institutional positioning, and relationships with major clients and regulators.
Controversies and new challenges
The appointment has also reignited discussions about Cloudflare’s relationship with sites accused of hosting illegal content, including pirated streaming websites for football matches. Some journalistic investigations claim that Spanish authorities have probed these practices, although the U.S. company maintains its commitment to net neutrality and regulatory compliance.
Meanwhile, Alonso remains involved with other organizations. This summer, he was appointed a board member of Europa Press and an advisor on Technological Innovation and Artificial Intelligence for the Technical Committee of referees of the RFEF. He also continues as a member of Telefónica’s Global Cybersecurity Advisory Council, a consultant for MyPublicInbox, and heads the technical publishing house Owner.
Moving toward a new professional phase
This appointment at Cloudflare not only signifies a continuation of Alonso’s commitment to security and technological innovation, but also an evolution toward a more international landscape. The challenge now is to leverage his cybersecurity and digital transformation expertise in a company with a global impact and responsibilities extending beyond national borders.
Cloudflare is thus strengthening its executive team with a profile that combines technical experience, strategic vision, communication skills, and a deep knowledge of the digital ecosystem in Europe and Latin America. All signs indicate that Alonso will not only “Cloudflare the world,” as he humorously stated in his post, but will also seek to influence the design of the future Internet from a position of international leadership.