Former Ixia CEO led the company through the Keysight acquisition
Bethany Mayer, the former CEO of Ixia who led the company through its acquisition by Keysight Technologies, is leaving her role as president of Keysight’s Ixia Solution Group.
Keysight announced the news this morning, saying that Mayer will resign as of December 1 to “pursue other interests.” Keysight has begun a search process for Mayer’s replacement. In the interim, Mark Pierpoint, who is VP and GM of Internet Infrastructure Solutions in Keysight’s Communications Solutions Group and is a longtime Keysight veteran, will serve as acting president after Mayer’s departure.
“I thank Bethany for leading the Ixia Solutions Group within Keysight,” said Ron Nersesian, Keysight’s president and CEO. “Her leadership led directly to the successful combination of our two companies and has been instrumental in our integration. I wish her the best in her future endeavors.” Nersesian added that Pierpoint’s “experience in leading our Internet Infrastructure Solutions and other software-focused solutions businesses makes him the clear choice to fill this role. Mark has worked closely with the Ixia business since the acquisition earlier this year and is well positioned to lead the completion of our integration activities and maximize the potential of our expanded company.”
Prior to Pierpoint’s current role, he led Keysight’s modular software and instrument initiatives; he joined Keysight in 1987 when it was still part of Hewlett-Packard. (Keysight was originally the test and measurement business of HP before being spun off with Agilent in 1999. Agilent then ultimately went on to spin off Keysight in late 2014.)
Mayer led Ixia as its CEO for nearly three years prior to the $1.6 billion Keysight acquisition, which closed in April. She came to Ixia from Hewlett-Packard, where she led the company’s network function virtualization business; those skills were seen as a particular asset for helping Keysight boost its position in software-based network visibility and security.
The Ixia acquisition was Keysight’s largest deal since it became an independent company.
