Michael Brown, serving as the interim president and CEO of Symantec since March 2014, has been officially named as CEO by the company’s board of directors, ending a six-month search.
The company was in search of a new CEO after it fired former CEO Steve Bennett due to lack of innovation and sagging sales. He was the second CEO to be fired in two years.
After Brown took over as the interim president, Symantec saw growth in year-over-year revenue which was triggered by his revenue and efficiency initiatives. Revenue growth also exceeded its revenue and operating margin guidance.
Speaking on his appointment, Symantec CEO Michael Brown said: "The demand for security and information management solutions has never been greater, and I am honored to be named Symantec’s Chief Executive Officer as we work to deliver innovation and value for our customers."
"Symantec is the global leader in security, and the threats facing our customers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and complex."
Brown joined Symantec following its merger with VERITAS Software in July 2005. His previous stint as chairman and chief executive officer of Quantum Corporation saw revenues doubling from $3bn to $6bn.
He is expected to share the company’s strategic plan with the customers and shareholders within the next 30 days.
Symantec has been battling a personal-computer slump that has slowed sales of its core antivirus software.
