Immersive Labs founding CEO steps down  

The founding CEO of Immersive Labs is to step down after eight years on the helm of the cybersecurity agency. 

44-year-old James Hadley, who based the Bristol-based enterprise in 2017, will retain his board seat as he transitions to the brand new position of Chief Innovation Officer. 

He might be changed by Mark Schmitz, the previous chief government of cloud computing firm Citrix.  

“We’ve achieved unbelievable milestones at Immersive and I’m thrilled to convey Mark onboard and accomplice with him to usher in our subsequent section of development serving to our clients show and enhance cyber readiness,” mentioned Hadley.  

“As we glance to the long run, Mark’s expertise and management might be a useful complement to mine as we increase our market attain, in addition to our management place, within the business.  

Schmitz has beforehand held senior positions at SAP, Ariba, Accenture and Collibra, the place he served as president. He’ll formally take over at Immersive Labs on 17 March. 

“Immersive’s revolutionary strategy to people-centric cybersecurity is essential for confronting as we speak’s and tomorrow’s threats, and it’s a key side of my choice to hitch the corporate,” Schmitz mentioned. 

“I sit up for working with this amazingly gifted staff to speed up development and ship distinctive worth to our clients.”  

Hadley increased over $180m (£139m) from buyers as CEO of Immersive Labs, most not too long ago in a £60m spherical in 2022. 

The enterprise helps the cybersecurity of organisations by means of “immersive” drills to check digital defences. 

Prospects of Immersive embrace Citi, Pfizer, HSBC and Goldman Sachs. The corporate additionally works with authorities organisations, notably the Ministry of Defence, which agreed a cyber defence partnership with it in 2022. 

Within the agency’s most up-to-date accounts – for the 12 months ended December 2023 – it posted a pre-tax lack of £6.1m, round half of its losses the 12 months earlier than.