Nozomi Networks has appointed co-founder Andrea Carcano as Chief Executive Officer as the cybersecurity company enters its next phase of growth following its $1 billion acquisition by Mitsubishi Electric. Carcano returns to the CEO role he held when he founded Nozomi Networks with Chief Technology Officer Moreno Carullo approximately 14 years ago. He succeeds Edgard Capdevielle, who led the company for the past decade and will remain involved as an executive advisor. The leadership transition is intended to accelerate Nozomi Networks’ technical development and the use of artificial intelligence across operational technology, the Internet of Things, and cyber-physical systems security. Operational technology, commonly known as OT, includes the systems that control physical equipment and industrial processes. These systems are used across energy, utilities, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation and other critical infrastructure sectors. Cyber-physical systems combine software and networking with physical machinery or infrastructure. Protecting these environments can be especially difficult because a cyberattack may affect not only data but also production, equipment availability, public services or physical safety. Carcano and Carullo founded Nozomi Networks on the belief that industrial operators needed more robust cybersecurity technology. The founders wrote the company’s initial software, secured its first customers and developed the technical foundation of its security platform. Approximately a decade ago, they recruited Capdevielle to commercialize the technology, build a global go-to-market organization and raise the capital required for the company to compete internationally. During Capdevielle’s tenure, Nozomi Networks surpassed $100 million in annual revenue and became the first privately held OT cybersecurity company to achieve sustained cash-flow break-even performance, according to the company. Nozomi Networks also expanded its customer base across major critical infrastructure industries. The company said its customers include five of the world’s 10 largest oil and gas companies, seven of the 10 largest pharmaceutical manufacturers and seven of the