Israel’s Check Point names Nadav Zafrir as new CEO
Zafrir, co-founder and managing partner of venture capital group Team8, will replace cybersecurity firm co-founder Gil Shwed, who stepped down in February
Sharon Wrobel is a tech reporter for The Times of Israel.
Israel’s Check Point Software Technologies announced on Wednesday that Nadav Zafrir, co-founder of tech venture capital group Team8, will take the helm at the cybersecurity firm.
Zafrir, managing partner at Team8, will assume the post of CEO at Check Point in December and will join its board of directors upon shareholder approval. The tech veteran will replace Gil Shwed, who co-founded the cybersecurity giant more than 30 years ago and stepped down from his role of CEO in February.
Commenting on the appointment, Shwed said that Check Point “found the perfect individual” after a “thorough CEO search process examining candidates from around the world.”
In 2014, Zafrir co-founded Team8, which creates and invests in startups focused on cybersecurity, data & AI, fintech and digital health. He has built, invested and chaired 17 cybersecurity companies during his tenure. Team8 raised $500 million in May, bringing its total assets under management to over $1 billion.
Prior to co-founding Team8, Zafrir spent 25 years in the elite military intelligence unit 8200, where he established the Israel Defense Force’s Cyber Command, before retiring as a brigadier general.
“Over the last decade, I have collaborated with global cybersecurity leaders and teams, witnessing firsthand their incredible efforts to safeguard global networks from sophisticated attackers,” said Zafrir. “I am in awe of the work of security practitioners and their organizations deserve the best security.”
“In our turbulent world, on the brink of another acceleration point as AI redefines our lives, cutting-edge cybersecurity is more critical than ever,” Zafrir added.
Since 2019, Zafrir served as chairman of SolarEdge Technologies, a Nasdaq-traded smart energy company. He graduated with a law degree from Reichman University and holds an MBA from the Kellogg-Recanati International Executive MBA program at Tel Aviv University.
Team8 executive chairman and serial entrepreneur Yuval Shachar congratulated Zafrir on the appointment.
“This comes after he successfully built, founded, and invested in dozens of leading startups within the framework of Team8,” stated Shachar. “We are confident that Nadav will continue being a prominent leader in cybersecurity, and look forward to seeing his future achievements.”
Check Point announced the appointment of Zafrir alongside its second-quarter earnings. The cybersecurity firm reported revenue of $627 million in the second quarter, an increase of 7% year-over-year and net income of $246 million compared to $238 million to the same quarter last year.
Check Point, whose shares are traded on the Nasdaq, has a market value of more than $19 billion. It was founded in 1993 by Shwed, a veteran of the IDF’s 8200 unit; Marius Nacht; and Shlomo Kramer.
