Poppy Gustafsson

Poppy Gustafsson is a prominent British businesswoman known for her role as the co-founder and former CEO of Darktrace, a leading cybersecurity firm specializing in artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. Born on August 24, 1982, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Sheffield in 2003. Gustafsson began her career at Deloitte and later worked at Amadeus Capital Partners and HP Autonomy before co-founding Darktrace in 2013.13

Under Gustafsson's leadership, Darktrace grew significantly, employing over 2,400 people and serving nearly 10,000 customers globally. The company was recognized for its innovative AI technology that autonomously detects and neutralizes cyber threats across various digital environments. Darktrace went public in 2021, achieving a market capitalization increase from £1.7 billion to £4.1 billion during her tenure.23 In recognition of her contributions to the cybersecurity industry, Gustafsson was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2019 and received several accolades, including the Tech CEO of the Year award at the UK Tech Awards in 2021.24

In September 2024, Gustafsson announced her resignation as CEO following Darktrace's acquisition by Thoma Bravo, a private equity firm. She expressed pride in her accomplishments at Darktrace and plans to continue her involvement with the company as a non-executive director.12 Following her departure from Darktrace, she was appointed Minister of State for Investment in the UK government in October 2024.3