Ex-RSA chief Rohit Ghai to lead Barracuda Networks as CEO, succeeds Naguib

Cybersecurity solutions provider Barracuda Networks has appointed Rohit Ghai as its new Chief Executive Officer, succeeding company veteran Hatem Naguib, who has stepped down after leading the firm since 2021.

Ghai, a seasoned cybersecurity and enterprise software executive, most recently served as CEO of identity security major RSA, a position he held since 2017. Earlier this month, RSA confirmed his departure, effective September 15. Ghai’s career spans more than two decades with leadership roles at EMC, Symantec, and CA Technologies. He will also join Barracuda’s board of directors.

“I’m honoured to join Barracuda at such a dynamic inflection point in its evolution,” Ghai said in a statement. “The company stands at the intersection of innovation and impact, with a strong foundation and a bold vision for the future. I am excited about the opportunity to accelerate Barracuda’s business momentum.”

Founded in 2003, California-based Barracuda provides security, networking, and data protection solutions to over 200,000 customers worldwide. Naguib had joined Barracuda as a senior vice president in 2016, before working his way up to COO in 2018 and then being named CEO in 2021. 

Under Naguib’s leadership, the company launched the BarracudaONE AI-powered cybersecurity platform and expanded its product portfolio, driving record revenues and profitability. Naguib, who earlier served as COO and head of Barracuda’s security business, has been credited with deepening customer engagement and building strong partner ecosystems.

“Leading Barracuda through a period of extraordinary transformation has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” Naguib said, expressing confidence in his successor. “As I pass the baton to Rohit, I do so with full confidence in his ability to lead Barracuda into its next era.”

Ghai’s appointment is expected to accelerate Barracuda’s strategy in areas such as AI-driven cybersecurity, cloud-native protection, and managed services—segments witnessing rapid adoption amid rising cyber threats. His expertise in scaling operations and driving SaaS-led growth is likely to play a key role in shaping Barracuda’s next phase of expansion.

Alongside his new role, Ghai continues to serve on the boards of Pegasystems, D-Wave Systems, and MHC Software.
The leadership change comes at a time when enterprises globally are ramping up security spending, with AI-powered threat detection and identity security emerging as key priorities. Barracuda’s focus on these areas under Ghai’s stewardship is expected to strengthen its positioning in the highly competitive cybersecurity market.

Barracuda has doubled its workforce in India to around 4,500 employees in less than five years, underlining the country’s growing importance as a strategic hub for its global operations. The company now operates across 17 locations, including major centres in Pune, Bengaluru, and Chennai.