Cofense, a provider of intelligence-driven phishing defense solutions, today announced the appointment of Marc Olesen as its new Chief Executive Officer. A seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience, Olesen is set to lead the company’s next phase of growth.
Olesen most recently served as the CEO at TokenEx, where he oversaw its merger with IXOPAY, expanding its payment optimization capabilities and global market reach. During his tenure as President and CEO at Sift, he led the emergence of a new market category for Digital Trust & Safety, strengthening Sift’s fraud prevention portfolio and scaling its operations to serve a growing international customer base. Previously, Olesen held senior leadership roles at Splunk, guiding the development and growth of its cloud services, and McAfee, where he managed global teams to advance cybersecurity offerings.
Building on his background in driving innovation and operational excellence, Olesen will lead Cofense’s efforts to address one of the greatest assets and most significant vulnerabilities to organizations today: the human factor. With email remaining the primary channel for cyberattacks and adversaries leveraging artificial intelligence to launch increasingly sophisticated phishing campaigns, Cofense is uniquely positioned to respond. Under Olesen’s leadership, the company will focus on redefining phishing defense by integrating advanced machine learning, real-time threat intelligence, and adaptive employee training. By fostering community collaboration and enhancing resilience against evolving threats, Cofense aims to empower organizations of all sizes to stay ahead of attackers and safeguard their critical systems and data.
“Organizations today face relentless phishing threats that bypass traditional defenses, leaving them vulnerable to data breaches and financial losses. These increasingly sophisticated attacks demand advanced solutions to protect critical systems and sensitive information,” said Olesen. “I’m eager to work alongside the Cofense team to provide organizations with the tools they need to stay ahead of these challenges. Leading Cofense is an exciting opportunity, and I look forward to driving impactful results for our customers.”
