Blue Coat Systems: Michael Borman is CEO

September 2, 2010

Blue Coat Systems has named Michael J. Borman as president and chief executive officer and Brian M. NeSmith as chief product officer, effective September 1, 2010. The board also expects to name Mr. Borman to the board of directors.

Mr. NeSmith, who has served as president and chief executive officer since 1999, will focus on product strategy, direction and development in his new executive role. He will report to Mr. Borman and will continue to serve on the company’s board.

“Mike is a proven executive with an impressive track record of leading technology companies to their next level,” said Dave Hanna, chairman of the board of directors. “This is a natural evolution that reflects Blue Coat’s increasing scale and complexity, and provides the leadership depth and strength we will need for the next phase of growth. Mike’s executive management skills will be a great complement to Brian’s vision and passion for Blue Coat’s technology and products.”

“I am confident Mike has the right combination of experience and business acumen to lead Blue Coat,” said Mr. NeSmith. “The new management structure will allow me to work more closely with our product teams as we create the next generation of cutting edge solutions making networks faster and more secure.”

Mr. Borman’s background includes executive management positions at large, mid- and small publicly-traded hardware and software companies. Previously, he served as chief executive officer and director of Avocent Corporation, a developer of switching systems that was acquired by Emerson Electric in December 2009. Prior to Avocent, Mr. Borman spent a total of 30 years at IBM, where he held numerous senior executive positions, leading global product and sales organizations. He also served as president and chief operating officer at Blue Martini Software, a provider of intelligent selling systems.

“Blue Coat has an enviable customer base, a strong product portfolio, and an excellent reputation for technology innovation,” said Mr. Borman. “I am excited about our future opportunities and look forward to joining Brian and the rest of the executive management team.”