The chief executive of a cyber security firm backed by Mike Lynch has stepped down weeks after the tycoon’s death, as the business prepares its exit from the London market.
Poppy Gustafsson, a co-founder of Darktrace who had held the top job since 2016, said it was the “right time to hand over the reins” ahead of the business going private in a £4.3bn deal.
Jill Popelka, who joined the company at the start of the year and took over as chief operating officer at the company earlier this summer, will become chief executive. She has held senior roles at technology companies including Accenture and Snapchat’s owner, Snap.
Darktrace is preparing to leave the London Stock Exchange after a three-year stint on the market. The company agreed to a takeover by private equity firm Thoma Bravo in April.
At the time, the focus was centered around Mr Lynch’s potential payday from the deal. The British entrepreneur – dubbed Britain’s Bill Gates – was poised to net £300m from the disposal of the business. Mr Lynch held 7pc of the company in April along with his wife, Angela Bacares.