Shalev Hulio is an Israeli businessman, entrepreneur, and former intelligence officer in Israel's elite Unit 8200 cyber intelligence unit of the Israel Defense Forces. He co-founded NSO Group Technologies in 2010 alongside Niv Carmi and Omri Lavie, leveraging his military cyber intelligence expertise in signals intelligence and cybersecurity to build the controversial cybersecurity firm known for developing the Pegasus spyware, which is sold exclusively to governments worldwide for surveillance and national security purposes. He served as CEO from 2010 to 2021, during which NSO expanded globally and reportedly generated hundreds of millions in revenue (with annual revenues exceeding $250 million by some accounts), though exact figures remain undisclosed. The company has faced significant international backlash, including a US Department of Commerce blacklist in November 2021 for actions contrary to national security and foreign policy interests, as well as lawsuits such as WhatsApp's 2019 claim (resulting in a $209 million lawsuit by Meta) alleging the hacking of 1,400 users via Pegasus. Hulio stepped down as CEO in September 2021 amid escalating controversies, transitioning to Executive Chairman while retaining a significant ownership stake and involvement in strategic direction. He has defended NSO's mission as vital for counterterrorism, emphasizing ethical use and compliance with international law, while critics like Amnesty International and Citizen Lab have accused the firm of enabling authoritarian surveillance against journalists, human rights activists, political dissidents, and politicians worldwide. Hulio's career exemplifies the intersection of military intelligence, private enterprise, and geopolitical influence, raising ongoing debates about spyware ethics and export controls. Beyond NSO, he has invested in other tech ventures and maintains ties to his Unit 8200 alumni network, though his association with NSO has implicated him in global controversies and allegations of complicity in extrajudicial surveillance by clients such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE.