Connect with us

Spotlight

Joe Levy Appointed CEO of Sophos

…Jim Dildine Named as Sophos’ New CFO

Published

on

Joe Levy sophos
Joe Levy, chief executive officer (CEO) of Sophos

Sophos, a global leader of innovative security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, has announced that Joe Levy is now chief executive officer (CEO) of the company.

Levy has been acting CEO since Feb. 15. To drive a critical role in the execution of his strategy to shape the future of Sophos, Levy has named Jim Dildine Sophos’ new chief financial officer (CFO) and a member of his senior management team.

Levy is a nearly 30-year veteran of innovating and leading cybersecurity product development, services and companies.

During his nine-year tenure at Sophos, Levy drove the transformation of Sophos from a product-only vendor into the global cybersecurity giant it is today, including an incident response team and managed detection and response (MDR) service that defends more than 21,000 organizations worldwide.

Levy also created SophosAI and Sophos X-Ops, an operational threat intelligence unit that joins together more than 500 cross-departmental cybersecurity operators and threat intelligence experts.  Sophos X-Ops shares real-time and historical attack data with all of Sophos’ solutions, making them smarter and faster at defending customers from persistent cyberattacks.

Levy has in-depth experience working with the channel, including managed security providers (MSPs), throughout his career, which he started in the mid-1990s as a cybersecurity practitioner and product and service innovator at a value-added reseller.

As CEO, Levy plans to expand Sophos’ already strong customer base in the midmarket, which includes nearly 600,000 customers worldwide and generates more than $1.2 billion in annual revenue.

As a leading provider of cybersecurity solutions for the midmarket, Sophos has a unique ability to further scale its business and the business of its partners by helping organizations in dire need of basic and expanded defenses against opportunistic and targeted cyberattacks.

These organizations include the critical substrate, small- to mid-sized organizations that comprise the machines of the world’s economy and are just as susceptible to cyberattacks as major corporations.

In fact, the critical substrate, including smaller organizations within the classic 16 critical infrastructure verticals, are prime attacker targets, as evidenced by Sophos’ Active Adversary report and 2024 Threat Report. Both intelligence reports reveal how attackers are repeatedly abusing exposed Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) access at midmarket organizations, as well as going after them for data theft, spying, ransomware payoffs, or supply chain attacks to gain entry to bigger prey.  

“When midmarket organizations – the global critical substrate – are paralyzed due to ransomware or other cyberattacks, business activities linked in our supply chains also stagnate, slowing our economy down. Operations of all sizes and shapes suffer collateral damage when dependencies in their supply chains are attacked. This can be devastating in often unpredictable ways because of the increasing complexity of how the modern industrialized global economy works,” said Levy. “Our goal is to help more organizations in the midmarket – the estimated 99% of organizations that are below the cybersecurity poverty line – be better at detecting and disrupting inevitable cyberattacks. Our envisioned approach to achieving this is to work with MSPs and channel partners that can scale alongside us with our innovative critical cross domain technologies – endpoint, network, email, and cloud security – and managed services that they can resell and co-deliver. Cyberattacks against the midmarket could severely impact the world’s ability to function; they are relatively under-protected compared to the 1%, and Sophos is on a mission to change that.”

Levy’s leadership strategy includes adding Dildine as CFO to help Sophos reach its business goals and propel the company on its future growth trajectory. He brings exceptional operational expertise to Sophos, as well as a strong background in channel partner-based cybersecurity business.

Jim Dildine, CFO, Sophos
Jim Dildine, CFO, Sophos

Dildine joins Sophos most recently from cybersecurity software and services company, Imperva, where he was CFO for more than four years. Before Imperva, Dildine was CFO for Symantec’s $2.5 billion enterprise security business unit for three years. Dildine also previously held key financial leadership roles for nearly nine years at Blue Coat Systems, where Levy also served as chief technology officer.

While at Blue Coat Systems, he oversaw a dramatic growth in market value while guiding the company to a go-private transaction by Thoma Bravo, sale from Thoma Bravo to Bain Capital, and subsequent sale to Symantec for $4.6 billion in 2016. Dildine also spearheaded the acquisition and seamless integration of six security-focused companies, which were valued at more than $750 million during his tenure.

“Having worked in technology and finance for more than 30 years, it is exciting to join Sophos at this juncture, when the company is well on its way to breaking through to the next level. Everything the company has accomplished thus far is impressive, including how dedicated Sophos is to constantly be innovating its cybersecurity technology and managed security services for customers in the midmarket. Sophos is also equally committed to supporting its channel partners, MSPs, and staff around the world,” said Dildine. “I am looking forward to helping Joe accelerate growth and further position Sophos as a leader in the industry.”

“Thoma Bravo has worked with Joe through successful investments in SonicWall and Blue Coat Systems, and our relationship and experience together, coupled with his authentic style of leadership and impeccable reputation across the cybersecurity industry, make him the ideal CEO to lead this next chapter at Sophos,” said Chip Virnig, a partner at Thoma Bravo and a Sophos board member. “We’re also excited that Jim is joining Sophos as CFO and is a member of Joe’s senior management team. We’ve worked with Joe and Jim at various companies for well over a decade, and we’re confident their combined expertise will reap big rewards for the future of Sophos.”

GrassRoots.ng is on a critical mission; to objectively and honestly represent the voice of ‘grassrooters’ in International, Federal, State and Local Government fora; heralding the achievements of political and other leaders and investors alike, without discrimination. This daily, digital news publication platform serves as the leading source of up-to-date information on how people and events reflect on the global community. The pragmatic articles reflect on the life of the community people, covering news/current affairs, business, technology, culture and fashion, entertainment, sports, State, National and International issues that directly impact the locals.

Spotlight

Niger Delta Congress Rejects ‘Annexation’ of Region by Simon Ekpa at ‘Biafra Declaration Day’

Published

on

Simon Ekpa at ‘Biafra Declaration Day’
Simon Ekpa at alleged ‘Biafra Declaration Day’

The Niger Delta Congress (NDC) unequivocally condemns the provocative and unrecognized annexation of Niger Deltan lands in a recent “Biafra  Declaration Day” organised by an affiliate of IPOB, under the banner of “BRGIE”, which held in Finland.

According to a statement on Monday, signed by Mudiaga Ogboru, the national spokesperson, “the audacious attempt by the terrorist group led by Simon Ekpa, a dual citizen of Nigeria and Finland, to impose an illegitimate and divisive agenda on the ethnic nationalities of the Niger Delta is not only provocative but constitutes an unacceptable affront to the dignity, sovereignty, and self-determination of our people. 

“Let it be stated categorically: the ethnic nationalities of the Niger Delta—comprising the peoples of Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River States—have no connection, past or present, with the ideological farce that is Biafra.

“This fascist and irredentist agenda, driven by an external ethnic group with no mandate from or legitimate claim to the Niger Delta, is an egregious attempt to appropriate identities and resources that do not belong to them. 

“The people of the Niger Delta have a long and proud history of championing the rights of indigenous peoples. As the first region in Nigeria to demand and articulate the principles of political autonomy and resource control, we are the vanguard of self-determination. Our position is clear: while we categorically reject the retrogressive structure of Nigeria as it stands, we reserve the right to determine our political future on our own terms, free from the impositions of any external group or ideology. 

“Niger Delta and Biafra are polar opposites. The Niger Delta Congress rejects, in totality, the futile attempts by IPOB/BRGIE and its affiliates to subsume our distinct ethnic identities into their so-called Biafran project.

“Our people have spoken, repeatedly and unambiguously. We rejected being a part of Biafra when it was first declared in 1967, and not only do we reject it once again, but we will resist it. We are not Biafrans, we will never be Biafrans.

“The Niger Delta Congress calls upon IPOB/BRGIE and all its affiliate groups to desist from these reckless provocations and to recognize that our region will never be a theater for their chaos, tragedy, or economic sabotage. The NDC reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that the Niger Delta remains a zone of peace, progress, and economic sustainability for its people. 

“Furthermore, let it be clear that the Niger Delta’s rejection of Biafra irredentism does not equate to an endorsement of Nigeria’s current political structure, which hinges on the ‘majorities’ subjugating the ‘minorities’. Our fight for justice, equity, and true federalism remains steadfast.

“To this end, the NDC will continue to engage all stakeholders in the Niger Delta and beyond to secure our territorial integrity, political autonomy and resource control that is the birthright of our people. 

“A Warning to Irredentist Agitators: The Niger Delta is neither a pawn in external agendas nor a colony to be appropriated by opportunistic groups. We are a proud, resilient, and self-determining people, and any attempt to contravene our sovereignty will be met with the full resolve of our collective will. Furthermore we would like to call on the authorities of Finland to check the excesses of this terrorist group as the Nigerian authorities have so far been unable to reign them in. Finally the NDC would like to call on the people of Niger Delta to neither be perturbed or distracted by the antics of these ethnic expansionists and genocidaires, while encouraging them to promptly report any suspicious activity capable of destabilizing our land”.

Continue Reading

Spotlight

Concerned citizens appeal to Gov Sanwo-Olu, Dangote Foundation, Banks, MTN Foundation, NNPC, others to assist journalist for brain surgery

Published

on

Journalist- Kola Kuforiji
Journalist- Kola Kuforiji

Some concerned citizens including media and corporate affairs practitioners have appealed to Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Banks, Dangote Foundation, MTN Foundation and other notable organizations and citizens to help provide  financial assistance for Kolawole Kuforiji, a Nigerian journalist who requires Deep Brain Stimulation surgery that is expected to cost  $35,000 (USD) about N57 million in Turkey.

Specifically, friends of Kola Kuforiji that initiated moves to seek financial support from concerned organisations and citizens  have so far sent SOS For Journalist Kola Kuforiji requesting for financial assistance to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Dangote Foundation, MTN Foundation, All Nigerian Banks through the Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks (ACAMB), NNPC Foundation, Chevron Nigeria Foundation, Guinness Nigeria Foundation, Nigerian Breweries Foundation, Shell Nigeria Foundation, Total E&P Nigeria Foundation and  Babcock University.

Beside the calls for institutional supports to save the life of Kola Kuforiji, the group of friends have opened an bank account with Polaris Bank (Name of Account: SOS FOR JOURNALIST KOLA KUFORIJI/ Account Number: 1790322317) and have started making individual donations.

Donations to the fund from as little as N1,000 donor to N150,000 donors has rising to N842,940.00 from the last count.

The life of Kola, a 54-year-old husband and father of two, who had worked for about two decades with Rhythm FM (Sliverbird Group) reporting business  was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with a drug-resistant, Parkinson’s disease with pronounced difficulty in walking and tremor has been very ill for more than two years and the severity and debilitating nature of his illness has depleted the  finances of his family.

He was initially treated at   Ikorodu General Hospital, Lagos, where a presumptive diagnosis of his medical condition was made.

He was over a year ago referred to LASUTH, but there has been little improvement in his health.

Medical treatment abroad now offers the best option for his recovery with a recommendation from  Atasehir Medicana International Hospital – Atasehir / Istanbul, Turkey confirming that he will need a Deep Brain Stimulation surgery.

Over the years  Kola has explored his media platform as a strong tool to drive financial inclusion and expanding frontier of knowledge of Nigerians on the activities and stride of the energy, banking and finance sectors at large to national development.

Despite his illness, Kola remains hopeful and determined to overcome.

Continue Reading

Spotlight

Teresa Anania Joins Sophos as Chief Customer Officer

Published

on

Sophos, a global leader of innovative security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, today announced that Teresa Anania has joined the company as Chief Customer Officer (CCO).

Anania will play a key role in accelerating Sophos’ customer and partner success initiatives to maximize value of Sophos’ portfolio of cybersecurity solutions and services, including Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services and endpoint, network, email, and cloud security.

Anania has more than 25 years of experience in leading customer satisfaction and sales growth across public and private sectors, excelling in both direct and indirect sales channels.

Joining Sophos from Zendesk, Anania was responsible for the management and development of its global client base of more than 110,000 customers from small- and medium-sized businesses (SMB) to enterprises. During her time at Zendesk, Anania led all post-sales functions, including Professional Services, Customer Support, Customer Service, Customer Success and Renewals, to deliver top line growth and measurable impact for customers. Anania has extensive experience specializing in scaling post-sales customer engagement for enterprise, commercial, and volume segments, delivering significant Return on Investment (ROI) and driving revenue.

As CCO, Anania will be responsible for developing a stronger customer-centric culture, working together with channel partners and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to deliver a seamless experience for Sophos’ growing customer base of more than 600,000 organizations worldwide. This vision also provides assurance that smaller customers, which are a prime target for attackers, have access to the same innovative security solutions and industry-leading threat intelligence as their larger counterparts, a critical overall mission for Sophos in 2024 and beyond.

“Sophos is in an exciting phase of its business growth, and I am eager to bring my career success building positive customer experiences to the company,” said Anania. “Sophos has a stellar reputation for continually innovating cybersecurity technology and managed security services that help organizations defend their businesses against ransomware, data breaches and other potentially business-ending cyberattacks. I will be working closely with channel partners, MSPs, and the global team, to advocate for Sophos’ customers and their security defenses and to drive value for partners from Sophos’ entire portfolio of solutions and services.”

“The threat landscape is always changing, and organizations need regular, interactive assessments of their overall IT environments to determine how to most efficiently and effectively adapt to defeat active attackers. To help facilitate this, security vendors need to take responsibility to ensure that customer investments in their products and services are providing real value to them, which requires engagement throughout contract lifecycles. This also requires world-class customer experience (CX) for renewals and upgrades to the most relevant and appropriate technologies and services, and an awareness of the full potential already available in existing licenses. The best tool is of little value without the right operation, so these components are critical to properly and consistently defending against modern attacks,” said Joe Levy, CEO of Sophos. “To provide this pathway, we’ve hired Teresa, who has an impressive track record building post-sales relationships and delivering experiences that increase customer satisfaction and drive topline growth. Her knowledge and expertise will allow us to further put customers at the center of our business, alongside our channel partners and MSPs. Most importantly, Teresa’s new role will help keep our customers as secure as possible, which is always our top priority. We are delighted to welcome Teresa to the Sophos team.”

Continue Reading

Trending