Geoff Barrall is a British-born serial entrepreneur and storage-technology pioneer who has spent three decades founding and leading companies that reshaped how the world stores data.
He founded BlueArc, the enterprise storage company later acquired by Hitachi, and went on to found Drobo (Data Robotics), where as CEO he grew sales from zero to a $40 million annual run rate within ten quarters. He also founded NeoPath Networks and Connected Data.
He later served as Chief Technology Officer at Hitachi Vantara, shaping product strategy, partnerships, and advanced research across a multi-billion-dollar portfolio, and is currently Chief Product Officer at Quantum.
Geoff holds a Ph.D. and a First-Class-Honours B.S. in Cybernetics from the University of Reading.
Boards & Advisory
Across three decades Geoff has served on the boards of numerous technology companies — many through to successful acquisition — and continues to advise founders and leadership teams.
Board Memberships
- Chairman, Bamboo Systems — 2018–2021
- Chairman, Drobo — 2015–2018
- Chairman, Gridstore — 2011–2015
- Board Member, Imation (Compensation & Audit Committee) — 2014–2016, public company
- Board Member, Connected Data — 2011–2015
- Board Member, Nevex Technologies — 2010–2012, acquired by Intel
- Board Member, Nexsan Technologies (Compensation & Audit Committee) — 2008–2013, acquired by Imation
- Board Member, Drobo / Data Robotics — 2005–2009
- Board Member, Tacit Networks — 2004–2006, acquired by Packeteer
Advisory Boards
A representative sample.
- Weka — 2021–present
- OS Nexus — 2021–present
- Data Domain — 2004–2009, acquired by EMC
- Pancetera — 2010–2011, acquired by Quantum
- BlueArc — 2010–2012, acquired by Hitachi
- NeoPath Networks — 2005–2008, acquired by Cisco
- Octiga Bay — 2002–2004, acquired by Cray