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A former admiral of the United States Navy has joined the cyber security company’s board of directors.
Fortinet has announced the appointment of Admiral James Stavridis of the United States Navy (Ret), PhD, to its board of directors.
The new appointee, who earned a PhD in international relations at the US Naval Academy, served for over 37 years in the Navy, rising to the rank of four-star admiral.
His service included a four-year stint as the 16th Supreme Allied Commander at NATO, leading the NATO Alliance in global operations and responsibilities, which involved cyber security operations.
Admiral Stavridis also served as a senior military assistant to the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of Defense, leading the Navy’s innovation think tank, Deep Blue.
After his transition to civilian life, the retired admiral served for five years as the 12th dean of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, during which he created a blended master’s degree in cyber and international relations for the university.
Admiral Stavridis currently serves as vice chairman for global affairs and managing director of The Carlyle Group and is chair of the board of trustees of the Rockefeller Foundation.
“Fortinet continues to have an exciting record of growth and innovation,” Admiral Stavridis said following his appointment.
“From its inception, Fortinet leadership has demonstrated its commitment to innovation, aligning with my own experience and continued interest in cyber security innovation.
“I look forward to working alongside the leadership team as a member of the board of directors and being a part of the company’s continued innovation and exciting growth trajectory.”
Ken Xie, founder, chairman of the board and CEO at Fortinet, welcomed the new appointee.
“We are pleased to welcome Admiral Stavridis to our board of directors,” he said.
“Admiral Stavridis brings tremendous public sector experience and cyber security innovation insights to add even further depth to our leadership team.
“Admiral Stavridis will be a key contributor as we continue to solidify our leadership position and drive future growth.”