Cary-based Global Knowledge, a provider of information technology training and other services for more than 250,000 people a year worldwide, has a new CEO: Former Juniper Networks executive Sean Dolan.
The company announced Dolan’s hiring on Thursday.
Dolan replaces interim CEO Richard Pryor-Jones, who returns to his previous post as head of Global Knowledge operations in Europe-Middle East-Africa. Jones told WRAL TechWire earlier this month that he was not a candidate for the CEO post.
Long-time CEO Brian Branson left the company earlier this fall.
“Sean has substantial experience in accelerating growth and transforming businesses, and we believe his background and global experience in the technology and consulting sectors make him an ideal fit for Global Knowledge,” said Petter Johnsson, chairman of the Global Knowledge board, in a statement. “He is well versed in the topics on which we educate, and has vast business experience with many of our strategic partners and customers.”
Dolan is a tech industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience. He led Juniper operations in EMEA from 2010 to 2014, according to Global Knowledge. Dolan also has worked at Alcatel-Lucent, EDS and Ernst & Young.
“I am thrilled to be joining Global Knowledge in such an exciting and transformational time in our industry,” Dolan said in the announcement. “The company has tremendous opportunity for growth and continues to raise the bar in the professional development market. I look forward to working with our customers and partners to prepare and strengthen their organizations to compete in the evolving global marketplace.”
In an interview with WTW on Dec. 4. Jones said the company is “very bullish” about the future and is recruiting new talent as the company seeks to capitalize on the continuing sea change taking place in technology and education.
Jones acknowledged that another senior executive, Greg Roels who was senior vice president, also had left the privately held firm.
Branson and Roels had both worked for GK dating back to 2005 and 1998 respectively.
Some 10 other people also have left the company as part of a shakeup that began some six weeks ago.
“We require different skills to move forward, to re-skill our organization,” Jones explained. “We are actively recruiting people in Cary and across the rest of the world. We expect to be moving forward with headcount.”
GK, which has some 1,300 employees and launched in 1995.
International locations include: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and, via partnership, Austria, Colombia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico and Singapore.
