Networking and security vendor Juniper Networks has appointed Microsoft stalwart Kevin Johnson as its new chief executive.

Johnson, who starts his new role in September and will also join the Juniper board of directors, was with Microsoft 16 years. Most recently he led the company's Platforms and Services Division and prior to that he served as group vice president of sales, marketing and services. He has previously worked for IBM's systems integration and consulting business, having begun his career as a software developer.

Johnson will replace Scott Kriens, who said: “The first 12 years at Juniper have been the most rewarding years of my professional life and I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together. We are very excited to welcome Kevin as our new CEO. He is a world-class executive and a person whose values align exactly with the culture upon which Juniper has been built. I look forward to working closely with Kevin in the years to come as we continue to build on Juniper’s success.”

Johnson added: “I am delighted to join Juniper. It is a company with a clear technology advantage, great talent and an amazing growth opportunity in a growing industry. I am looking forward to bringing my experience to help Juniper scale and deliver great value to Juniper’s customers, partners, employees and shareholders.”