Sophos CEO Resigns Abruptly, Successor Appointed

Sophos has confirmed the sudden departure of its chief executive, Kris Hagerman, as the company seeks to strengthen its foothold as a provider of cybersecurity services.

Joe Levy, who assumed the role of president last year, will step into the CEO position following Hagerman’s exit. Hagerman, who has been at the helm since 2012, will continue to serve as an advisor until April 1. During his tenure, Sophos experienced significant growth, with revenue surpassing $1 billion and its customer base expanding from 150,000 to over 580,000 globally. He also oversaw the company's successful IPO in 2015 and its subsequent sale to Thoma Bravo in 2020.

"I am proud of our team’s accomplishments over the last 12 years as we have transformed Sophos into a true next-generation cybersecurity leader and an industry innovator in delivering cybersecurity as a service," said Hagerman. "I am excited to pass the baton to Joe Levy as president and acting CEO to lead Sophos into the future."

Levy, who joined Sophos from Blue Coat Systems nine years ago, played a pivotal role in the company's evolution into a global cybersecurity service provider. Under his leadership, Sophos has gained over 20,000 managed services customers worldwide. He also spearheaded the establishment of Sophos X-Ops, a 500-person operational threat intelligence unit offering real-time and historical attack data.

"I am extremely excited for the opportunity to further grow Sophos as a global cybersecurity leader," Levy commented. "Our immediate goal is to work with our partners to further expand our collective ability to secure organizations that are unprotected or need stronger cyber defenses."

Chip Virnig, partner at Thoma Bravo and a Sophos board member, expressed confidence in Levy's capabilities, stating, "With his industry pedigree and accomplishments, Joe is well-positioned to lead Sophos in the direction the market is demanding."