Cambridge, UK - Darktrace, a global leader in AI for cybersecurity, today announced that Jill Popelka has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer. Charles Goodman, the current Chairman of the Darktrace Board, has been appointed interim CEO while the Board leads the search for the next CEO.
“Jill led a significant transformation of Darktrace into a more mature, established software business, and we are grateful that she will remain with us in an advisory capacity,” Goodman said. “Darktrace is a special company with exceptional people, and we are committed to finding an excellent new leader for the business, who has deep experience in leading and scaling Software-as-a-Service businesses.”
Popelka joined Darktrace in January 2024 as a Non-Executive Director on the Darktrace plc Board and then served as Chief Operating Officer. She was appointed Chief Executive Officer in September 2024. Popelka will remain an advisor to Darktrace during this transition.
“It has been a privilege, both personally and professionally, to lead this great business and I am proud of our transformation program that has established stronger operational foundations for Darktrace, which can now be leveraged for growth,” Popelka said. “Charles brings extensive experience in guiding software companies through different stages of transition, and we have an excellent leadership team, so I know I am leaving Darktrace in good hands.”
Goodman has a 30-year career in the software industry, including as COO and CEO of a number of fast-growing businesses. More recently, he has served as Chairman of several businesses, including Coupa and Proofpoint.
“Our innovative AI cybersecurity products are industry-leading, helping companies to grapple with the radically expanding threat of cyberattack from ambitious technology adoption and an increasingly complex geopolitical environment,” Goodman said. “Darktrace continues to be a company with strong growth potential, and our focus now needs to be on re-accelerating that growth, in line with our existing strategy.”
About Darktrace
Darktrace is a global leader in AI for cybersecurity that keeps organizations ahead of the changing threat landscape every day. Founded in 2013, Darktrace provides the essential cybersecurity platform protecting organizations from unknown threats using its proprietary AI that learns from the unique patterns of life for each customer in real-time. The Darktrace ActiveAI Security Platform™ delivers a proactive approach to cyber resilience to secure the business across the entire digital estate – from network to cloud to email. It provides pre-emptive visibility into the customer’s security posture, transforms operations with a Cyber AI Analyst™, and detects and autonomously responds to threats in real-time. Breakthrough innovations from our R&D teams in Cambridge, UK, and The Hague, Netherlands have resulted in over 200 patent applications filed. Darktrace’s platform and services are supported by over 2,300 employees around the world who protect nearly 10,000 customers across all major industries globally.
Read the release on the Darktrace website here.