Amit Yoran, chair and CEO of cybersecurity firm Tenable, dies unexpectedly after cancer battle

Amit Yoran, who brought cybersecurity company Tenable to the public market as CEO, died Friday. He was 54 years old.

Tenable confirmed Yoran’s passing in a news release Saturday. While the company said his death was unexpected, Yoran took a medical leave early last month as he battled cancer.

Funeral details have not yet been announced, the company said Saturday.

Yoran took the helm of Tenable in 2016, his last leadership role in the cybersecurity field. He previously served as president of RSA Security from 2014 to 2016. Yoran founded and led NetWitness as CEO from 2006 to 2011 before it was acquired by RSA, according to his LinkedIn page.

His decades-long career in cybersecurity also included government and nonprofit work. Yoran was National Cybersecurity Director for the US Department of Homeland Security from 2003 to 2004. He has served on the board of directors of the Center for Internet Security since 2019.

Two years into Yoran’s tenure, Tenable went public on the Nasdaq. At the time, the IPO was seen as a success story for cybersecurity companies on Wall Street.

Yoran called the company’s focus on enterprise technology vulnerabilities unique in the market, while highlighting its successful shift to a subscription model. By 2018, Yoran said, more than half of Fortune 500 companies were Tenable customers.

“We have become one of the most trusted and beloved brands in cybersecurity,” he told CNBC at the time of Tenable’s IPO. “Only the best and most efficient private companies have the opportunity to go public. And that gives us a place on a much bigger stage to tell our story.”

Tenable CFO Steve Vintz and COO Mark Thurmond have served as co-CEOs since Yoran took medical leave in December. They will continue to share the role while its board of directors searches for a permanent successor, the company said.

Yoran expected his leave to last only a few months and called his condition a “treatable situation,” according to a memo to employees posted on his LinkedIn page. He had “full confidence” in Vintz and Thurmond to run the company in his absence.

“We have much to do and no time to waste,” Yoran wrote. “As I take a brief pause to prioritize my health, I will stay as connected as I can while giving myself the space to fully heal. “I am deeply grateful for each of you, not only for the dedication you bring to your work but also for the sense of community we have built together.”

Yoran also served as chairman of Tenable’s board of directors, a position that will now be held by Art Coviello, the company’s lead independent director. In a statement, Coviello called Yoran an “extraordinary” leader, colleague and friend.

“His passion for cybersecurity, his strategic vision and his ability to inspire those around him have shaped Tenable’s culture and mission,” Coviello said. “His legacy will continue to guide us as we move forward.”



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