Check Point Software Announces New Regional Director for Africa

Check Point Software Technologies, a leading cybersecurity platform provider, has appointed Lorna Hardie as the Regional Director for Africa. Hardie will focus on increasing Check Point’s market share throughout the continent by enhancing its extensive distribution and partner network and promoting the adoption of cybersecurity solutions in the region.

Hardie joins Check Point from VMware by Broadcom, where she oversaw multi-million dollar operations across 33 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. With over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, Hardie has held leadership roles spanning Pan-African sales, business unit management, and regional leadership in multinational organizations, during which she successfully led several mergers and acquisitions. Her expertise spans critical areas including infrastructure, networking, cloud, virtualization, software, and security.

During her tenure at VMware, Hardie was recognized with prestigious industry accolades, including Broadcom’s Presidents Club Winner awards in 2020 and 2023 for Top Sales Achievement. In 2024, she was also a Top 5 finalist in the ‘IT Business Development Executive’ category at the Wired4Women Awards.

Passionate about fostering diversity in technology, Hardie has consistently championed inclusive team-building and the empowerment of women in IT. At VMware, she established a strong network of women leaders through impactful round tables focused on developing young female talent. “I see great opportunity through my role as Regional Director for Africa at Check Point to encourage more women to pursue careers in cybersecurity,” Hardie notes.

In alignment with this vision, Check Point is actively involved in strengthening Africa’s cybersecurity capabilities through SecureAcademy, which partners with educational institutions to offer free instructor training, courseware, and affordable certification exams. “These initiatives not only aim to close the critical skills gap in Africa but also to create a resilient cybersecurity workforce capable of protecting the continent’s growing digital economy,” Hardie says.

As Africa’s economy is projected to grow significantly—from a total GDP of $3 trillion in 2020 to $4 trillion by 2027, according to Statista—the continent also faces high cybersecurity risks, with an average of 3,370 cyber attacks per week across sectors, a 90% year-over-year increase according to Check Point’s Q3 2024 report.

“Check Point is an innovative global leader with extensive experience addressing the unique cybersecurity challenges faced by both public and private organizations. The company is well-positioned to meet Africa’s cybersecurity needs,” Hardie says. “As cyber threats evolve, it is crucial for organizations to partner with a cybersecurity provider like Check Point, whose prevention-first approach and 3Cs framework—comprehensive, collaborative, and consolidated security—reflect a deep commitment to innovation and trust.”