Darktrace Appoints New CFO and CRO to Drive Global Expansion and AI Cybersecurity Innovation

Darktrace, a global leader in AI for cybersecurity, has announced two key executive appointments to its leadership team with Suman Raju joining as Chief Financial Officer and Hein Hellemons as Chief Revenue Officer. Both executives will report directly to CEO Jill Popelka as members of the Darktrace Executive Committee, bringing substantial experience from high-growth technology companies to support the organization's scaling initiatives and market expansion strategies.

As CFO, Raju assumes responsibility for Darktrace's financial strategy and execution, ensuring that resources and investments align with the company's long-term financial objectives. He succeeds Cathy Graham, who served as CFO since 2020 and departed the role in September. Raju brings a proven track record of scaling both public and private B2B enterprise SaaS companies, having most recently served as CFO at Ivalua where he helped prepare the company for public markets, led strategic transactions, and drove significant growth in recurring revenue and profitability. His previous CFO roles at Crownpeak Technologies and SAP Ariba involved leading international teams and supporting mergers, acquisitions, and strategic growth initiatives.

Hellemons takes on the CRO position, leading global Sales and Solutions Engineering teams to strengthen Darktrace's customer and prospect engagement across key markets and industries. He replaces Denise Walter, who stepped down following Darktrace's sale to Thoma Bravo last year. Hellemons brings extensive experience leading go-to-market teams at global cybersecurity and technology companies, having most recently served as CRO at KnowBe4 where he led global sales, marketing, customer success, and channel operations while playing a pivotal role in scaling the business. His previous senior leadership roles at VMware, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Microsoft focused on enterprise sales and global go-to-market strategy.

CEO Jill Popelka expressed enthusiasm about the new appointments, stating that both executives bring critical expertise as Darktrace continues its scaling and transformation journey. Popelka emphasized Hellemons' customer excellence focus and Raju's exceptional global finance experience from high-growth software businesses, noting that their leadership will be instrumental in driving the company's next phase of growth.

The appointments come at a crucial time for Darktrace as the company positions itself to capitalize on growing demand for AI-powered cybersecurity solutions. Raju highlighted Darktrace's position at the forefront of AI innovation in cybersecurity and expressed excitement about joining during a period of momentum and transformation. He noted the tremendous opportunity ahead and his focus on building strong foundations to support sustainable growth in the U.S. and global markets.

Hellemons emphasized the appeal of Darktrace's best-in-class technology, particularly its AI capability to detect never-before-seen threats in real-time and protect organizations across their entire digital ecosystem. He noted that as cyber threats continue to evolve, this capability becomes increasingly critical for organizations seeking to protect themselves while safely driving technology adoption across their enterprises. Hellemons expressed commitment to deepening partnerships with existing customers and expanding reach to prospective customers as Darktrace continues its scaling journey.

These executive changes signal Darktrace's strategic focus on strengthening its financial management and revenue operations during a period of significant growth in the cybersecurity market. The appointments bring fresh perspectives from leaders with proven success in scaling technology companies, potentially accelerating Darktrace's market expansion and innovation in AI-driven security solutions. For more information about Darktrace's cybersecurity platform, visit http://www.darktrace.com.