Jan 22, 2026
Network operations (NetOps) solutions provider NetBrain Technologies appointed Bernadette Nixon as its new CEO, following an investment by Blackstone.
Nixon joins the firm from AI search startup Algolia, where she led the company through global expansion. NetBrain said her experience will be “instrumental as AI becomes increasingly central to modern network operations and automation.”
NetBrain founder Lingping Gao will transition from the CEO role to chair of the board, having steered the ship for more than two decades. Alongside the executive reshuffle, ex-Casa Systems CEO Jerry Guo and IRIS Software Group chairman Gus Malezis joined NetBrain’s board.
“NetBrain is redefining how enterprises run their networks using AI and automation to help prevent outages, strengthen resilience, and improve security,” Nixon noted in a statement. “[Gao’s] passion and innovation have made NetBrain a category leader in network automation, and I look forward to working with our exceptional team to build on this strong foundation.”
Founded in 2004, NetBrain offers no-code and AI tools to support network automation. Operators using its tech can assess their entire network, including SD-WAN and public cloud, via a specialized digital twin platform, enabling them to automate troubleshooting and monitor traffic flows.
The likes of BT, Microsoft, Oracle, and Tesla count among its customer base, with NetBrain claiming more than one‑third of the Fortune 500 firms use its offerings.
The Burlington, Massachusetts-based firm revealed last July that it secured backing from Blackstone, with the investment giant taking a majority stake in the firm.
Upon closing its investment, Blackstone said it’ll help NetBrain expand its footprint to take advantage of what it claims to be a $30 billion NetOps market. In addition to its Burlington base, NetBrain has locations in Munich, Toronto, Hyderabad, and Beijing.
“[Gao] is a visionary founder who has built an exceptional business, and we are excited to continue working with him in his new role as chair,” Vishal Amin, senior managing director at Blackstone, added. “We believe Bernadette has the experience and strategic leadership skills to support the next phase of NetBrain’s growth journey and that the company is exceptionally well-positioned as AI reshapes network operations.”
News source: SDxCentral