Symantec's chief executive and president John W. Thompson will retire at the end of the fiscal year after a decade in the role.
The security firm said he will be replaced next April by Enrique T. Salem, who is currently Symantec's chief operating officer.
Thompson said Symantec has been planning for his departure for the past two years. "Through that process, Enrique emerged as the right person to lead the company and I am confident in his ability to continue to drive the success of our team."
Thompson will remain chairman of the board.
Salem worked for Symantec for nine years from 1990, before moving on and then returning to the company after his firm BrightMail was bought by Symantec in 2004.
The firm announced at the end of last month it would be laying off 4.5 per cent of its workforce.
