Mimecast’s Marc van Zadelhoff and the Value of Varied Experi

From Consultant to Venture Capitalist, to VP of Marketing to Director of Security Strategy, Marc van Zadelhoff has worked his way all across the corporate ladder to land roles in a range of different fields.  

This journey, although perhaps not the most traditional route, has seen him gain a breadth of experience that lends itself both to the business and technology understanding, pivotal for his current role as CEO at cloud-based email management company Mimecast. 

Having been in the role since January of 2024, industry insiders are eager to see how Marc can utilise his varied experience in his new role. With his career being one of big milestones: co-foundings, millions of dollars in raised capital for the ventures he headed, and extreme growth valuations for such businesses, it’s no wonder why. 

Forging a path

Having studied Economic and Political Science at Bowdoin College, and later achieving an MBA in Finance and Marketing at the prestigious business school Wharton, Marc started his career as a Senior Consultant at Gemini Consulting (now Capgemini) in 1994.

Although the role was focused on finance, it was here he would get his first taste of tech, as his work doing market research, segmentation analysis and activity based costing (among other assignments) generally focused on activities in the high-tech sector. Over the next four years, he would hone his understanding of tech and the strategies that surround it before he would put that knowledge to use and begin putting bets on it as Associate at NeSBIC Venture Capital (Fortis Bank).

During his stint of over two years there, he had the notable achievement of writing the business plan and negotiating terms for Consul Risk Management's €11 million (US$11.8m) funding round. He must have impressed them a lot, as he then joined Consul as the VP of Marketing.

At Consul, he played a pivotal role in establishing the company's market position, facilitating funding rounds, co-developing compliance and audit offerings, forging 

global partnerships with industry giants, leading an acquisition, and building Consul's worldwide marketing team.

The IBM years

In 2007, IBM acquired Consul, and Marc transitioned into various leadership roles within IBM's security division over the next nine years. Here, he crafted an overarching security strategy for IBM, integrating the company's security acquisitions into a cohesive unit. 

In 2011, he spearheaded the acquisition of Q1Labs and the formation of IBM Security, a 2,000-person business led by Q1Labs' former CEO. Through December 2015, Marc led the Marketing, Strategy and Product Management teams for IBM Security. He again grew the business to over 6000 employees and just under US$2bn in revenue through hiring and five additional acquisitions. 

By 2016, Marc became the General Manager of IBM Security, which spun out of his 2011 co-founding, and went from strength to strength. IBM's 8,000 person security software and services business became valued at US$2.5bn, and saw him become a member of IBM's extended leadership team.

The path to leadership

In 2018, van Zadelhoff transitioned to his first role at the helm of a company, as the COO of LogMeIn. There, he led the company's worldwide go-to-market and technology teams during its transition from a public to a private entity. His tenure at LogMeIn was marked by the company's acquisition by private equity company Francisco Partners PE in 2020.  

Concurrent with his corporate roles, Marc has served as an Advisor and Investor at cybersecurity company Satori Cyber since 2019. He provides guidance to the team after their seed funding round, and on research services company Forrester's 10-person Board of Customers from 2019 to 2023, interacting with Forrester's leaders on their strategy.

But it was his time at computer and network security Devo where he would get his next taste at the helm, becoming CEO in 2020 at a time the company raised US$60m in Series D funding. 

After having steered the company for three years, and through an intense growth phase where they raised US$350m and tripled revenues, it's here Marc made perhaps his biggest, and current leap up the corporate ladder.

In January 2024, Marc became CEO of Mimecast, an advanced email and collaboration security company.

The move came at a time where services offered by Mimecast became ever more crucial, as the cyber sphere had to deal with a wave of newly focused attacks: the rise of business email compromise (BEC) attacks.

According to Microsoft, there was a 38% increase in Cybercrime-as-a-Service targeting business email between 2019 and 2022. BEC scams, which often involve impersonating executives or trusted partners to trick employees into transferring funds or divulging sensitive information, have emerged as a major cybersecurity challenge for organisations worldwide.

With its advanced email security capabilities, Mimecast is well-positioned to address this growing threat, a factor that likely drew Marc to the company. "I'm drawn to Mimecast because it protects against today's most urgent cybersecurity threats, namely: employees collaborating in an ever more dangerous world," Marc said upon his appointment. "Mimecast has strong momentum, a world-class leadership team and a proven track record of delivering innovative solutions."

Mimecast’s solutions currently inspect over a billion emails a day, flagging phishing, impersonation, ransomware and more. 

Marc making moves

From his beginnings as a Venture Capitalist to his ascension as the CEO of a leading cybersecurity firm, Marc has consistently demonstrated a keen ability to navigate the ever-changing technological landscape.

His career has been marked by a series of pivotal moments, each serving as a stepping stone towards greater heights. From facilitating funding rounds for startups to leading major acquisitions and integrations, Marc has consistently proven his mettle as a strategic thinker and a leader able to execute complex acquisitions and change with precision.  

As he embarks on this new chapter, Marc's wealth of experience and ability to push for great heights position him as a catalyst for further growth and transformation within his role of leader at Mimecast.  

In a time where the threat landscape is constantly evolving, Marc’s ability to move to new environments and thrive in them serve as a reminder of the need for resilience and adaptability in this age of fast-paced innovations.

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