SafeNet Strengthens Board of Directors with Appointments of Jeff Hawn and Phil Saunders

BALTIMORE, June 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- SafeNet, Inc., a global leader in data protection, announced today the appointments of senior software industry executive Jeff Hawn and IT security industry executive Phil Saunders to the company's board of directors effective June 12, 2014.  Hawn currently serves as chairman and chief executive officer for The Attachmate Group and Saunders is executive vice president and chief revenue officer at SafeNet.

"We are very pleased to welcome Jeff and Phil to the SafeNet board of directors," said David Fishman, a partner at Vector Capital and fellow member of the board. "Having held numerous executive and consulting positions within the technology industry, Jeff will provide invaluable operational insights to help both the board and the executive management team moving forward.  Phil's leadership experience with the company and deep knowledge of the IT security landscape also brings an additional perspective that will assist the board and help further drive the company's go-to-market strategy."

"I am enthused to be joining the SafeNet board of directors," said Hawn. "I believe SafeNet is positioned well with terrific leadership and solutions that can solve the most important data protection needs facing companies, governments, and consumers alike. I look forward to working with my fellow directors and the SafeNet management team to capture the vast opportunities ahead."

"What we do is critical to the success of every enterprise and government institution in the world," said Saunders. "How we enable those organizations to access, evaluate, purchase, and deploy our solutions is critical to both our success and the success of every customer we serve. I am delighted that the board recognizes the impact that our direct sales, channel network, and business development efforts have on the company's future, and am honored that they have recognized my expertise in these areas by inviting me to step into a seat on the board."

The appointment of Hawn and Saunders to SafeNet board of directors follows the recent appointment of Prakash Panjwani as the company's president, CEO, and board member.

About Jeff Hawn                
Jeff Hawn has more than 20 years of experience in the software industry and brings significant operational expertise, having held multiple senior-level positions in the software industry.

Hawn currently serves as the chairman, chief executive officer, and board member for The Attachmate Group, a privately held enterprise software holding company, where he is responsible for defining the direction and business strategies for the organization and its portfolio companies Attachmate, NetIQ, Novell, and Suse.

Prior to The Attachmate Group, Hawn was an operating partner with JMI Inc., and led the firm's private equity acquisition and operating activities. Prior to his work at JMI, he was senior vice president at BMC Software, where he held several key management positions. Additionally, he has served as a partner at the global consulting firm of McKinsey & Company.

Hawn holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Southern Methodist University and an MBA from the University of Texas.

About Phil Saunders                 
Phil Saunders currently serves as SafeNet's executive vice president of sales and chief revenue officer, where he is responsible for driving the strategy and execution of the field, channel, and technical sales teams, as well as global sales operations.  He is also responsible for developing the strategy for generating profitable revenue over the long term; building the bridge from corporate strategy to field execution, ensuring that the entire organization has the direction, information, resources and support to successfully execute in the field.

Saunders joined SafeNet in 1997 as vice president of marketing and business development, cultivating strategic partnerships and transforming the company's marketing initiatives. In 2000, he took a position as senior vice president of business development at Corente (recently acquired by Oracle). He returned to SafeNet in 2002, and has held several highly successful positions in sales and marketing, including senior vice president, worldwide sales and customer service, vice president and general manager of the Borderless Security Business Unit, and director of channel development.

Prior to joining SafeNet, Saunders was director of sales at Nuera Communications, and previously spent several years at Motorola in a variety of sales roles. He has received numerous leadership awards for his outstanding achievements, including awards from the American Marketing Association (AMA).

Saunders holds a bachelor's degree in Business from the State University of New York at Albany, and an MBA from Seton Hall University.

About SafeNet, Inc.             
Founded in 1983, SafeNet, Inc. is one of the largest information security companies in the world, and is trusted to protect the most sensitive data for market-leading organizations around the globe. SafeNet's data-centric approach focuses on the protection of high-value information throughout its lifecycle, from the data center to the cloud. More than 25,000 customers across commercial enterprises and government agencies trust SafeNet to protect and control access to sensitive data, manage risk, ensure compliance, and secure virtual and cloud environments. Learn more about SafeNet on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and Google+.

SafeNet Media Contacts:              
Chad Couser            
T: 443-327-1315                  
[email protected]

Anina Steele              
T: +44 1276 608 055                   
[email protected]

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SOURCE SafeNet, Inc.