Cyber firm Immersive appoints new Chief Executive Officer

Immersive, a cybersecurity company based in Bristol, has announced the appointment of Mark Schmitz as its new Chief Executive Officer.

This appointment signifies a step in Immersive's strategy to enhance its presence in the cyber resilience sector. James Hadley, the founder of Immersive, will now serve as Chief Innovation Officer while remaining on the company's board. He will collaborate with Schmitz to advance the company's future in cyber drilling and exercising.

Schmitz arrives with more than 25 years of experience accumulated from his work in the enterprise software industry. His career encompasses positions such as President at Collibra, Interim CEO at Citrix Systems, and management roles at leading firms like SAP, Ariba, and Accenture. Schmitz's expertise lies in areas including business operations, sales, customer success, digital transformation, and marketing.

Hadley expressed his enthusiasm about Schmitz joining the team, saying, "We've achieved incredible milestones at Immersive and I am thrilled to bring Mark onboard and partner with him to usher in our next phase of growth helping our customers prove and improve cyber readiness. As we look to the future, Mark's experience and leadership will be an invaluable complement to mine as we expand our market reach, as well as our leadership position, in the industry. This transition allows me to focus on my passion: driving our strategic vision, fostering innovation, and engaging with our customers and the broader market."

Schmitz shared his sentiments regarding his new position at Immersive: "I am excited to join Immersive and team up with James to realize the future of cyber drilling and exercising. Immersive's innovative approach to people-centric cybersecurity is critical for confronting today's and tomorrow's threats, and it's a key aspect of my decision to join the company. I look forward to working with this amazingly talented team to accelerate growth and deliver exceptional value to our customers."

The company's solutions are focused on helping organisations enhance their cyber resilience through realistic drills and exercises. The recent brand launch in 2025 serves as a foundation for significant growth.

Schmitz is set to officially assume his role on 17 March 2025. His leadership is anticipated to reinforce Immersive's position at the vanguard of the market, particularly with the addition of Oliver Newbury, former Barclays Chief Information Security Officer, to the board.