Rapid7 has announced a leadership shake-up, appointing board member Wael Mohamed as chief executive effective immediately, while CEO Corey Thomas transitions to executive chairman of the board.
The move comes as the cyber security firm seeks to capitalise on growing demand for AI-powered security operations, following a series of strategic investments aimed at positioning the company at the forefront of the emerging AI-SOC market.
Rapid7 said the leadership change reflects the next phase of its growth strategy as organisations increasingly look to combine managed detection and response (MDR), exposure management and artificial intelligence to improve cyber defence capabilities.
Thomas, who has led Rapid7 since 2012 and oversaw its transformation into a publicly listed cyber security company, said Mohamed had become a trusted strategic adviser since joining the board last year.
“After joining our board last year, Wael quickly became an invaluable strategic advisor and partner to me,” Thomas said.
“He has built and transformed cyber security companies, balancing precise execution with strategic investment, and his leadership will help customers see the benefit of Rapid7’s vision faster.”
Mohamed brings three decades of cyber security and technology leadership experience to the role. He is the founder of cyber security-focused investment firm Global Forward Capital and previously served as chief executive of Forescout, where he led the company through two strategic acquisitions. Before that, he spent more than a decade at Trend Micro, ultimately serving as president, chief operating officer, and board member.
“I join Rapid7 with gratitude, confidence, and excitement,” Mohamed said.
“We have the customers, technology, leadership, and talent to own the AI-SOC market. I am committed to driving focus on the core businesses where Rapid7 is excellent and honing all of our resources and effort into the success of that vision.”
Under the new structure, Mohamed will oversee day-to-day operations and growth initiatives, while Thomas will remain closely involved in shaping Rapid7’s technology vision, AI strategy and public policy engagement as executive chairman.
Alongside the announcement, Rapid7 reaffirmed its financial guidance for both the second quarter and full-year 2026, signalling confidence in its strategic direction as competition intensifies in the rapidly evolving AI cyber security market.
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David Hollingworth
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.