Red Hat, Inc. Promotes Matthew Szulik to CEO

Industry Veteran Instrumental in Red Hat's Growth and Success to Lead Combined Red Hat and Cygnus Solutions Management Team

Research Triangle Park -

For Immediate Release

For more information:
Company
Melissa London
Red Hat, Inc.
(919) 547-0012
melissa@redhat.com
 
 
Media
Bryan Scanlon or Dan Ring
Schwartz Communications for Red Hat
(781) 684-0770
redhat@schwartz-pr.com
 
Investors
John Heilshorn or Jody Burfening
Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates
(212) 838-3777
john@lhai.com / jody@lhai.com

Red Hat®, Inc. (Nasdaq: RHAT) today announced the promotion of Matthew Szulik to CEO and president of the fast-growing, market leader in open source solutions. Szulik, who joined Red Hat as president in November of 1998, was instrumental in the widespread success of Red Hat Linux, the execution of Red Hat's successful IPO and the global expansion of the company's open source service offerings.

"Matthew has done a tremendous job building the company over the past year, assembling a talented and experienced management team, and creating the partnerships with leading global technology suppliers to drive Red Hat's rapid growth and high customer satisfaction." said Bob Young, Chairman of Red Hat, Inc. "Matthew's continued leadership will enable Red Hat to develop the organization and skills to be the trusted supplier of end-to-end open source solutions for the Internet, enterprise servers, and a new generation of post-PC-centric computing."

Red Hat also announced today a definitive merger agreement to acquire Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Cygnus Solutions, which will create the largest company in the world dedicated to providing open source technology, information and services. The transaction is subject to approval by Cygnus' shareholders, the expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and other customary closing conditions. Szulik will lead a combined management team of the newly merged entity. Bob Young, currently CEO and chairman, will become chairman of Red Hat, Inc. Young will remain active in the strategic and creative direction of Red Hat and driving the global, industry-wide adoption of open source development practice.

Szulik has more than 20 years of industry expertise with leading software companies, including Interleaf, Inc. and MapInfo Corporation.

International Data Corp. (IDC) research states that Linux was the fastest-growing server operating environment in 1998, growing more than 190 percent in that year alone and capturing more than 15.8 percent of the 4.4 million revenue shipment server operating systems market segment. IDC also states that Red Hat Linux is by far the most popular distribution, preferred by 68.7 percent of U.S. Linux users.

About Red Hat, Inc.

Red Hat, the world's leading open source and Linux provider, is headquartered in Raleigh, NC with satellite offices spanning the globe. Red Hat is leading Linux and open source solutions into the mainstream by making high quality, low cost technology accessible. Red Hat provides operating system software along with middleware, applications and management solutions. Red Hat also offers support, training and consulting services to its customers worldwide and through top-tier partnerships. Red Hat's open source strategy offers customers a long term plan for building infrastructures that are based on and leverage open source technologies with focus on security and ease of management. Learn more: http://www.redhat.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release that are not strictly historical statements, including, without limitation, management's plans and objectives for future operations, and management's assessment of market factors, constitute forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, reliance upon strategic relationships, management of growth, the possibility of undetected software errors, the risks of economic downturns generally, and in Red Hat's industry specifically, the risks associated with competition and competitive pricing pressures, the viability of the Internet, and other risks detailed in Red Hat's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which may be accessed through the SEC's Web site at http://www.sec.gov.

LINUX is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. RED HAT is a registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc. All other names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

  • About Red Hat
  • Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to reliable and high-performing cloud, Linux, middleware, storage and virtualization technologies. Red Hat also offers award-winning support, training, and consulting services. As the connective hub in a global network of enterprises, partners, and open source communities, Red Hat helps create relevant, innovative technologies that liberate resources for growth and prepare customers for the future of IT. Learn more at http://www.redhat.com.



  • Forward-Looking Statements
  • Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: risks related to delays or reductions in information technology spending; the effects of industry consolidation; the ability of the Company to compete effectively; the integration of acquisitions and the ability to market successfully acquired technologies and products; uncertainty and adverse results in litigation and related settlements; the inability to adequately protect Company intellectual property and the potential for infringement or breach of license claims of or relating to third party intellectual property; the ability to deliver and stimulate demand for new products and technological innovations on a timely basis; risks related to data and information security vulnerabilities; ineffective management of, and control over, the Company’s growth and international operations; fluctuations in exchange rates; and changes in and a dependence on key personnel, as well as other factors contained in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (copies of which may be accessed through the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov), including those found therein under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations". In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic and political conditions, governmental and public policy changes and the impact of natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.