Who Founded NetApp
NetApp was founded by David Hitz, James Lau, and Michael Malcolm in 1992. The company emerged from a network storage concept at Sun Microsystems and focused on scale-out network attached storage. David Hitz served as the primary technical architect and later as CEO, shaping NetApp's data management strategy. The founding team built NetApp to solve enterprise file sharing and data protection challenges across distributed environments.
Before NetApp, David Hitz worked on high-performance storage systems at Sun Microsystems and Auspex Systems. James Lau contributed deep expertise in file systems and networking protocols. Michael Malcolm brought enterprise software and executive leadership experience. Together, they created a company that later became a major independent data infrastructure provider. NetApp went public in 1992 and has since been listed on Nasdaq under the symbol NTAP.
NetApp Leadership and Ownership
Current CEO and Executive Team
George Kurian has served as Chief Executive Officer of NetApp since 2020. He previously held senior roles at VMware and Oracle, focusing on cloud and enterprise infrastructure. Under his leadership, NetApp has emphasized hybrid cloud data services, AI-ready infrastructure, and edge-to-cloud data management. George Kurian succeeded Tom Georgens, who led the company through a period of cloud transition and restructuring.
NetApp's board and major shareholders include institutional investors and public market holders. As of the latest available filings, NetApp remains a publicly traded company with shares traded on Nasdaq. Institutional ownership is held by large asset managers and pension funds. NetApp's ownership structure reflects broad institutional participation typical of large-cap technology companies.
NetApp Business and Financial Overview
Core Products and Services
NetApp provides unified storage, data protection, and cloud data services for enterprises and service providers. Its product portfolio includes AFF A-Series all-flash systems, ASA with ASA architecture, and ONTAP software for managing block, file, and object data. NetApp also offers Cloud Volumes, BlueXP, and data automation tools for hybrid multi-cloud environments.
NetApp's financial results reflect ongoing demand for enterprise data management and AI infrastructure. The company generates revenue from hardware systems, software licenses, and professional services across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. NetApp has positioned itself as a key provider of high-performance storage for AI training and inference workloads. Investors track NetApp alongside peers such as Dell Technologies, HPE, and Pure Storage.
Category: Finance | Title: Who Founded NetApp and What the Company Does Today | Tag: NetApp Founder | Meta Description: Facts about the founder of NetApp, company history, leadership, and financial standing...
Who Founded NetApp
NetApp was founded by David Hitz, James Lau, and Michael Malcolm in 1992. The company emerged from a network storage concept at Sun Microsystems and focused on scale-out network attached storage. David Hitz served as the primary technical architect and later as CEO, shaping NetApp's data management strategy. The founding team built NetApp to solve enterprise file sharing and data protection challenges across distributed environments.
Before NetApp, David Hitz worked on high-performance storage systems at Sun Microsystems and Auspex Systems. James Lau contributed deep expertise in file systems and networking protocols. Michael Malcolm brought enterprise software and executive leadership experience. Together, they created a company that later became a major independent data infrastructure provider. NetApp went public in 1992 and has since been listed on Nasdaq under the symbol NTAP.
NetApp Leadership and Ownership
Current CEO and Executive Team
George Kurian has served as Chief Executive Officer of NetApp since 2020. He previously held senior roles at VMware and Oracle, focusing on cloud