From Symantec to Wall Street: How Tenable’s Thomas Parsons Witnessed Cybersecurity’s Evolution—and Ireland’s Rise as a Tech Powerhouse

In the latest episode of The Leaders’ Room podcast, SiliconRepublic.com sits down with Thomas Parsons, the man steering Tenable’s Irish operations and shaping product strategy from Maryland. But this isn’t just another executive interview—it’s a front-row seat to cybersecurity’s transformation from niche IT concern to boardroom imperative, told by someone who’s been in the trenches since the 1990s.

Parsons’ journey reads like a timeline of the industry itself. He cut his teeth at Symantec during the transformative John Thompson era—a period when cybersecurity was still finding its footing before cybercrime exploded into the global crisis we know today. Thompson, the IBM veteran who nearly became Obama’s Secretary of Commerce, instilled in Parsons a leadership philosophy that still guides him: the best talent often hides in unexpected places.

That philosophy proved prescient when Parsons joined Tenable in 2016, just as the exposure management company planted its flag in Ireland. He became their first R&D hire in 2017, and today, half of Tenable’s 140-strong Irish team works on research and development in Dublin. It’s a remarkable trajectory for a country that’s quietly become a cybersecurity powerhouse, with Parsons at the helm of one of its flagship operations.

But perhaps the most cinematic moment in Parsons’ career came when Tenable went public. He was there on the ground in New York on IPO day—not as a spectator, but as a key player watching years of work materialize into market reality. It’s the kind of moment that separates observers from participants in tech’s relentless march forward.

What makes this episode essential listening isn’t just the career retrospective, though. Parsons offers rare insights into what’s coming next in cybersecurity—threats that keep executives awake at night and innovations that might just keep them safe. His perspective bridges the gap between technical possibility and business reality in a way few can match.

This season of The Leaders’ Room, created in partnership with IDA Ireland, continues to deliver exactly what tech professionals crave: unfiltered access to the minds shaping our digital future. Whether you’re a cybersecurity veteran, an aspiring tech leader, or simply fascinated by how Ireland became a magnet for global innovation, Parsons’ story delivers on every front.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts—and watch the full video interview on SiliconRepublic.com.

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Wall Street cybersecurity debut
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