Barracuda Taps RSA Vet as Next CEO

Security vendor Barracuda announced this week that it has appointed Rohit Ghai, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of RSA, as its next CEO, replacing Hatem Naguib in the top spot.

Naguib steps down following successful tenure

Naguib has served as CEO of Barracuda since 2021, following his tenures as the company’s COO and senior vice president and general manager of Barracuda’s security business unit.

“Leading Barracuda through a period of extraordinary transformation has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together – from scaling the business and earning the trust of partners and customers worldwide, to fostering a culture defined by innovation and resilience,” said Naguib. “As I pass the baton to Rohit, I do so with full confidence in his ability to lead Barracuda into its next era. His strategic vision, deep industry expertise and passion for cybersecurity make him the ideal leader to accelerate our momentum even further.” 

Ghai, of course, is no stranger to leading top security companies. He brings two decades of executive leadership across some of the most influential cybersecurity and SaaS technology companies, including RSA, EMC, Symantec, and CA Technologies. 

In addition to taking the CEO role, Ghai will also sit on the board of directors for Barracuda. He also serves on the boards of Pegasystems, D-Wave Systems, and MHC Software, and previously served on the board of Everbridge.

“I’m honored to join Barracuda at such a dynamic inflection point in its evolution. The company stands at the intersection of innovation and impact, with a strong foundation and a bold vision for the future,” said Ghai. “Barracuda’s commitment to delivering industry-leading solutions and its relentless focus on partner and customer success make it a world-class organization.  I am grateful to the board for placing their trust in me and am excited about the opportunity to accelerate Barracuda’s business momentum.”

Barracuda’s growth trajectory and what might come next

Under Naguib’s leadership for the past four years, Barracuda has grown significantly in both product offering and profitability. Its BarracudaONE platform, launched this year, aims to bring MSPs and their clients a unified approach to security.

Now, with Ghai at the helm, Barracuda says it is entering a new chapter and the next phase of its expansion strategy.

We spoke with Barracuda’s SVP of Global Channels and Alliances, Michelle Hodges, at ChannelCon in July. Revisit that interview to learn more about the company’s channel strategy and goals.