Palo Alto nabs VeriSign chief McLaughlin for top job

Mark McLaughlin appointed CEO of network security player days after resigning from old post

Several days after resigning as chief executive of VeriSign, Mark McLaughlin (pictured) has popped up in the same role at fellow security player Palo Alto Networks.

McLaughlin spent more than 10 years in senior roles at VeriSign and has led the company for the past two years. Palo Alto has been seeking a new leader since last December, when former chief Lane Bess resigned over "differences in leadership philosophy" with the rest of the board.

The new head honcho takes over just as Palo Alto announced that its current run-rate revenue would see it post sales of $200m (£123m) in its current fiscal year, which began yesterday.

The Californian vendor also claims to have doubled staff numbers in FY11, with a further 300 additions planned for this year. To this end, it recently moved into expanded headquarters in Santa Clara. Palo Alto is also pondering floating publicly later in the year.

"I am very excited to join Palo Alto Networks," said McLaughlin. "The company's disruptive technology, proven market success and strong momentum make this a unique opportunity to lead the company with its continued, explosive growth in a multibillion-dollar market."