Profile

Identity, professional record and current appointments.

Overview

Professional record at a glance

A concise summary of information supported by the cited public sources. Missing information is treated as unknown, not as a negative finding.

Current roles
33 current organizations shown on this profile
Board positions
33 supported by public sources, 0 supplied by the profile owner
Committee roles
4Roles supported by the sources cited on this profile
Qualifications
Not establishedNo qualification is currently confirmed by the cited sources

Professional narrative

About

Michel Combes is Partner at Forgelight LLC, an investment company focused on media and consumer technology. He has extensive experience as CEO and CFO of large multinational companies including Sprint, Alcatel-Lucent, and Vodafone Europe. He brings expertise in cybersecurity, innovation, and consumer centricity in highly regulated industries.

Sources are shown with the information they support.

Current roles

Appointments & responsibilities

Board appointments

Director

F5, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV)

Jan 1, 2023 – Present

Independence: Independent

Source effective: 2026-01-26 · Observed: 2026-03-23T08:43:01.022+00:00

confirmedView source

Governance

Board appointments, committee responsibilities and disclosed relationships.

Board and advisory record

Board service

Sources are shown with each role, education record, or credential.

Director

F5, Inc.

2023-01-01 · current

Confirmed by public sourceView source

Director

Philip Morris International

2020-01-01 · current

Confirmed by public sourceView source

Director

Merlin, Inc.

Current · start date not disclosed

Confirmed by public sourceView source

Connections

Explore the roles, education and affiliations published in this record.

F5, Inc.

Open F5, Inc. profile →

Director at F5, Inc.

2023-01-01 → End not stated

current · source reported

Observed: 2026-09-21

F5, Inc.F5, Inc.Merlin, Inc.Merlin, Inc.Philip Morris Inte…Philip Morris InternationalMichel Combes

Dashed lines mark past roles. Select a connection to see its dates and sources.

Relationship map

Connected through the public record

Direct relationships from verified facts and published résumé records. Private connections are excluded.

Direct public links only

Only published affiliations are shown here. Private relationships require authorized access.

Experience

Career history, education, credentials and public contributions.

Published record

Featured coverage

Selected publications and public sources used to establish this profile. Inclusion records provenance; it is not an endorsement.

Source 1 · Sec FilingPM DEF 14A director slateSupports AI and ML experience, Board role, Committee assignments, Executive company, Executive title, Cybersecurity experience, Technology background.Open sourceSource 2 · Sec FilingF5, Inc. director board sourceSupports Board membership, Committee assignments, Board independence.Open sourceSource 3 · Sec FilingMRLN DEF 14A director slateSupports Board role, Committee assignments.Open sourceSource 4 · Sec FilingPhilip Morris International Inc. director board sourceSupports Board membership, Committee assignments, Director since, Board independence.Open source

Basis

Identifiers, sources, dates and record limitations.

Identifiers

Alpha ID
alpha:person:michel-combes
Record version
public-0

Sources

Sources and published information

Each item links to the public source used to support it. When sources disagree, the item is clearly marked for review.

AI and ML experience · Source reportedAI and ML experience: not identified in the cited filing1 source
Verification
Source reported
Confidence
72%
Last reviewed
May 16, 2026
  • SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 16, 2026

Board independence · CorroboratedIndependent directorSupported by 2 public records2 sources
Verification
Corroborated
Confidence
95%
Last reviewed
May 3, 2026
  • SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 3, 2026

  • SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 3, 2026

Board membership · CorroboratedServes on the board of F5, Inc.Supported by 3 public records3 sources
Verification
Corroborated
Confidence
95%
Last reviewed
May 3, 2026
Board membership · CorroboratedServes on the board of Merlin, Inc.Supported by 2 public records2 sources
Verification
Corroborated
Confidence
95%
Last reviewed
May 3, 2026
Board membership · CorroboratedServes on the board of Philip Morris International Inc.Supported by 3 public records2 sources
Verification
Corroborated
Confidence
95%
Last reviewed
May 3, 2026
Board role · CorroboratedBoard role: DirectorSupported by 2 public records2 sources
Verification
Corroborated
Confidence
92%
Last reviewed
Jul 28, 2026
  • SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 16, 2026

  • SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed Jul 28, 2026

Board role · Source reportedBoard role: Lead Independent Director1 source
Verification
Source reported
Confidence
92%
Last reviewed
May 15, 2026
  • SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 15, 2026

Committee assignments · CorroboratedNo committee assignment disclosed in the cited filingSupported by 3 public records3 sources
Verification
Corroborated
Confidence
95%
Last reviewed
Jul 28, 2026
  • SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed Jul 28, 2026

  • SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 3, 2026

  • SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 3, 2026

Committee assignments · Source reportedCommittee assignments: Audit and Risk, Nominating and Corporate Governance1 source
Verification
Source reported
Confidence
88%
Last reviewed
May 16, 2026
  • SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 16, 2026

Committee assignments · Source reportedCommittee assignments: Audit, Compensation1 source
Verification
Source reported
Confidence
88%
Last reviewed
May 15, 2026
  • SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 15, 2026

Cybersecurity experience · Source reportedCybersecurity experience reported in filings1 source
Verification
Source reported
Confidence
72%
Last reviewed
May 16, 2026
  • SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 16, 2026

Executive company · Source reportedExecutive at Forgelight LLC1 source
Verification
Source reported
Confidence
85%
Last reviewed
May 16, 2026
  • SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 16, 2026

Executive title · Source reportedExecutive title: Partner1 source
Verification
Source reported
Confidence
85%
Last reviewed
May 16, 2026
  • SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 16, 2026

Technology background · Source reportedTechnology background reported in filings1 source
Verification
Source reported
Confidence
72%
Last reviewed
May 16, 2026
  • SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 16, 2026

View all sources11 records
  1. SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 16, 2026

    Supports: AI and ML experience · Board role · Committee assignments · Executive company · Executive title · Cybersecurity experience · Technology background

  2. SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 3, 2026

    Supports: Board membership · Committee assignments · Board independence

  3. SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 15, 2026

    Supports: Board role · Committee assignments

  4. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1048695/000104869526000012/ffiv-20260126.htm

    Sec Proxy · Tier not stated · Reviewed Mar 23, 2026

    Supports: Director at F5, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV)

  5. SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed Jul 28, 2026

    Supports: Board role · Committee assignments

  6. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2028707/000121390025092430/ea0256920-02.htm

    Sec Proxy · Tier not stated · Reviewed Apr 28, 2026

    Supports: Director at Merlin, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRLN)

  7. SEC EDGAR

    Sec Filing · Tier 3 · Reviewed May 3, 2026

    Supports: Board membership · Committee assignments · Director since · Board independence

  8. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1413329/000110465925028420/tm252327-2_def14a.htm

    Sec Filing · Tier not stated · Reviewed May 3, 2026

    Supports: Director at Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM)

  9. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1048695/000104869526000012/ffiv-20260126.htm

    Public Source · Tier not stated · Reviewed Not stated

    Supports: Board membership

  10. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1413329/000110465925028420/tm252327-2_def14a.htm

    Public Source · Tier not stated · Reviewed Not stated

    Supports: Board membership

  11. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2028707/000121390025092430/ea0256920-02.htm

    Public Source · Tier not stated · Reviewed Not stated

    Supports: Board membership