BS Accounting & Finance '00
Brian Murphy is a founder, CEO, entrepreneur and investor – constantly learning and, as he puts it, chasing possible. He founded and leads ReliaQuest, the force multiplier of security operations and one of the largest and fastest growing companies in the global cybersecurity market. ReliaQuest increases visibility, reduces complexity and manages risk with its cloud-native security operations platform, GreyMatter.
Murphy has grown ReliaQuest from a boot-strapped startup to high-growth unicorn with a valuation of over $1 billion, more than 1,000 team members and more than $350 million in growth equity with firms such as FTV Capital and KKR Growth. The company is headquartered in Tampa, Fla., with operations centers in Tampa; Las Vegas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Dublin, Ireland; London; Amsterdam; and Pune, India.
Under Murphy’s leadership, ReliaQuest has received numerous accolades for its commitment to focused growth while maintaining a positive company mindset:
- In 2023, named to Inc. magazine’s annual Best Workplaces list
- In 2022, named Security Software Company of the Year by the Cyber Security Global Excellence Awards
- In 2020, recognized by Fast Company in its Best Workplaces for Innovators category as the “Innovation Team of the Year” ranked on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500, a list of the 500 fastest growing technology companies in North America, for the fourth consecutive year
- In 2021, received the Community Transformer award from the Tampa Bay Economic Development Corporation in recognition of ReliaQuest’s positive impact on the community through creating jobs, donating time, treasure and talent and attracting more capital investment to Tampa Bay
- In 2019, listed as one of Fortune magazine’s Best Workplaces in Technology for the second consecutive year
In 2022, Murphy was inducted into the Florida State University College of Business Alumni Hall of Fame and, for the fifth consecutive year, to Florida Trend’s Florida 500, a list of the state’s most influential business leaders. Also in recent years, he received Junior Achievement’s Vanguard Award for his support of youth education and development, and he won the prestigious EY Entrepreneur of The Year Award. In 2023, he was honored as one of Goldman Sachs’ most exceptional entrepreneurs. He is a member of the Florida Council of 100.
Murphy is passionate about cybersecurity, entrepreneurship and youth education. He serves as board chairman and Founders Circle member for Embarc Collective, Florida’s fastest growing startup hub; a member of the Board of Directors for Cyber Florida, a statewide education and research institute housed at the University of South Florida and several other charitable and industry-based organizations.
He's also a member of the FSU College of Business Board of Governors.
Murphy is committed to contributing to charitable programs focused on cybersecurity and youth education.
He began his career as a management consultant with PwC. He lives in Tampa with his wife and their two children.
