History of Citrix Systems in Timeline
Citrix Systems, Inc. is a US multinational technology company specializing in cloud computing and virtualization. They provide a range of services including server and application virtualization, desktop virtualization, networking, SaaS, and cloud computing technologies. Citrix boasts a vast clientele of over 400,000 clients globally, which includes a significant majority of Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies.
1989: Citrix Founded
Citrix Systems, Inc. was founded in Richardson, Texas by Ed Iacobucci in 1989.
1990: Roger Roberts Becomes CEO
Roger Roberts assumed the role of CEO of Citrix in 1990.
1991: Citrix Multiuser Launch and Microsoft's Shift to Windows
Citrix launched its first product, Citrix Multiuser, an extension of OS/2, in 1991. However, Microsoft's announcement to switch from OS/2 to Windows just three days prior created significant challenges for the newly launched product.
1992: Multi-Win Version 2.0 Released
Citrix released Multi-Win version 2.0 in 1992, offering compatibility with DOS applications and support for up to five users.
1993: WinView Released
In 1993, Citrix introduced WinView, a remote application server capable of running both DOS and Windows applications.
1994: Citrix Reaches $10 Million in Revenue
Citrix achieved an annual revenue of $10 million in 1994.
December 1995: Citrix's Successful IPO
Citrix's initial public offering (IPO) in December 1995 saw its share price double from $15 to $30 on the first day of trading.
1995: Citrix Goes Public
Citrix had its initial public offering (IPO) in December 1995 and experienced a surge in share price.
1995: WinFrame Launch
Citrix introduced WinFrame in 1995, a multi-user operating system based on Microsoft's Windows NT, marking the first thin client for Windows.
1997: New Headquarters and International Expansion
Citrix established its new headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1997. The same year, they expanded their global presence by opening offices in Sydney, London, and Paris.
1997: Citrix Acquires DataPac
Citrix made its first acquisition in 1997, purchasing DataPac to leverage its technology and presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
1998: Microsoft Licenses Citrix Technology
After extensive discussions, Microsoft licensed Citrix's technology for Windows NT Server 4.0, resulting in the release of Windows Terminal Server Edition in 1998.
1998: Mark Templeton Becomes CEO and Licensing Agreements
Mark Templeton assumed the role of CEO at Citrix in 1998. That same year, Citrix entered into licensing agreements with IBM and Key Tronics for its ICA protocol.
1999: Citrix Experiences Revenue Growth
Between 1995 and 1999, Citrix experienced significant revenue increases, doubling year over year, solidifying its position as an industry leader.
1999: Motorola Licenses ICA Protocol
In 1999, Citrix licensed its ICA protocol to Motorola for implementation in digital wireless handsets.
1999: Citrix Solidifies Market Leadership
With minimal competition in the mid-1990s, Citrix emerged as the industry leader, experiencing substantial growth in revenue between 1995 and 1999.
2000: Ed Iacobucci Departs Citrix
Ed Iacobucci, founder and chairman of Citrix, departed from the company in 2000 following the dot-com bubble burst.
2000: Citrix in Forbes Global 2000
In 2000, Citrix was ranked on the Forbes Global 2000 list.
2000: Dot-Com Bubble Impacts Citrix
The burst of the dot-com bubble in 2000 had significant repercussions for Citrix, leading to the departure of founder Ed Iacobucci and the demotion of CEO Mark Templeton.
2001: MetaFrame XP Released
Citrix launched MetaFrame XP in 2001, a new platform based on their existing MetaFrame technology.
2001: Citrix Acquires Sequoia Software Corp
In 2001, Citrix acquired Sequoia Software Corp. for $185 million, expanding their software portfolio.
2001: Mark Templeton Reinstated as CEO
Mark Templeton was reinstated as CEO of Citrix in 2001, after being demoted the previous year.
July 9, 2002: Citrix Announces Job Cuts
Citrix announced a 10% job cut on July 9, 2002, impacting approximately 1,900 employees, resulting in a five-year low for their stock price.
December 2003: ExpertCity Acquisition Expands Product Portfolio
Citrix's acquisition of ExpertCity in December 2003 brought popular products like GoToMyPC and GoToAssist into their portfolio, with ExpertCity becoming the Citrix Online division.
2003: Citrix Acquires ExpertCity
Citrix acquired ExpertCity, a prominent provider of remote desktop products, in December 2003 for $225 million, marking their largest acquisition to date.
2004: Citrix GoToMeeting Introduced
Citrix launched GoToMeeting in 2004, expanding its offerings in the online collaboration space.
2005: Citrix Acquisition Spree Begins
From 2005 to 2012, Citrix embarked on an aggressive acquisition strategy, acquiring more than a dozen companies to broaden their market reach.
2005: MetaFrame XP Rebranded to Presentation Server
In 2005, Citrix rebranded MetaFrame XP to Presentation Server.
August 2007: Citrix Enters Server and Desktop Virtualization Market
Citrix acquired XenSource in August 2007, marking their strategic entry into the server and desktop virtualization market.
2007: Silicon Valley Headquarters Opened
In 2007, Citrix expanded its presence by opening a headquarters in Silicon Valley.
2008: Presentation Server Rebranded to XenApp
Citrix rebranded its Presentation Server product line to XenApp in 2008.
January 29, 2009: Citrix Announces Job Cuts
Citrix announced a workforce reduction of 10%, affecting 460 employees, on January 29, 2009.
August 2010: Citrix Expands Cloud Offerings with VMLogix Acquisition
Citrix acquired VMLogix in August 2010 to strengthen its cloud computing and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offerings.
August 2010: Citrix Partners with Google for ChromeOS Support
Citrix established a partnership with Google in August 2010 to bring its products to ChromeOS devices.
February 2011: Citrix Enters European SaaS Market
Citrix acquired Netviewer in February 2011, marking their expansion into the European Software as a Service (SaaS) market.
May 2011: Citrix Targets SMBs with Kaviza Acquisition
In May 2011, Citrix acquired Kaviza, expanding its offerings to include VDI-in-a-box solutions tailored for small and medium businesses.
July 2011: Citrix Becomes IaaS Leader with Cloud.com Acquisition
Citrix acquired Cloud.com in July 2011, solidifying its position as a leader in the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) market.
October 2011: Citrix Enhances Cloud Storage with ShareFile Acquisition
Citrix acquired ShareFile in October 2011, bolstering its cloud capabilities with cloud-based file sharing and storage technology.
May 2012: Citrix Acquires Virtual Computer for Enhanced Desktop Virtualization
Citrix acquired Virtual Computer in May 2012 to enhance its desktop virtualization offerings, integrating Virtual Computer's technology into XenClient Enterprise edition.
June 2012: Citrix Enters Mobile Market with ByteMobile Acquisition
Citrix entered the mobile video and telecom markets in June 2012 through the acquisition of ByteMobile, signaling its expansion into new sectors.
2012: Citrix Acquisition Spree Ends
Citrix's period of significant acquisitions, which began in 2005, concluded in 2012.
2012: Citrix Donates Cloudstack to Apache Foundation
In 2012, Citrix donated its open-source technology, Cloudstack, to the Apache Foundation to encourage further development and contributions.
February 2013: Citrix Launches XenMobile Based on Zenprise Technology
In February 2013, Citrix launched XenMobile, a mobile application management (MAM) solution based on technology acquired from Zenprise.
2013: Citrix Donates Xen Hypervisor to Linux Foundation
Citrix donated its Xen hypervisor to the Linux Foundation in 2013, furthering its commitment to open-source software development.
2013: Citrix Reports Net Income
Citrix reported a net income of $339.5 million in 2013.
January 2014: Citrix Improves Virtual Desktop Delivery with Framehawk Acquisition
Citrix acquired Framehawk in January 2014 to enhance the delivery of virtual desktops and applications, particularly over wireless networks with varying quality.
May 2014: Citrix Boosts Cloud Capabilities with Scalextreme Acquisition
Citrix acquired Scalextreme in May 2014 to enhance its cloud capabilities, integrating Scalextreme's technology to improve auto-scaling, patching, and automation for XenDesktop and XenApp.
2014: Citrix Acquires Framehawk
Citrix acquired Framehawk in 2014 to leverage its technology for enhancing the delivery of virtual desktops and applications over wireless networks.
2014: Citrix Reports Net Income
Citrix reported a net income of $251.7 million in 2014.
2014: Citrix Launches "Project Code" to Teach Computer Science
Citrix's Raleigh office started "Project Code" in 2014 to teach coding and computer science to Boys & Girls Clubs.
January 29, 2015: Citrix Announces Workforce Reduction
On January 29, 2015, Citrix announced the elimination of 700 full-time and 200 contractor positions as a cost-saving measure, affecting about 10% of its workforce.
February 2015: Citrix Reports Employee Count
In February 2015, Citrix reported having 10,081 employees.
July 14, 2015: Windows 10 Support Added to Desktop Virtualization Products
Citrix announced full support for Windows 10 across its desktop virtualization products on July 14, 2015.
July 2015: Citrix Announces Board Changes and CEO Retirement
In July 2015, Citrix announced significant changes to its board of directors, including the appointment of Robert Calderoni as executive chairman and the addition of Jesse Cohn from Elliott Management. The company also shared that CEO Mark Templeton would retire.
December 2015: Citrix Reports Employee Count
In December 2015, Citrix employed approximately 9,500 people. This came after a restructure in November that eliminated nearly 700 full-time jobs.
2015: Citrix Acquires Nearly 50 Companies
By 2015, Citrix had acquired close to 50 companies, demonstrating its strategy of growth through acquisitions.
January 2016: Citrix Appoints Kirill Tatarinov as President and CEO
In January 2016, Kirill Tatarinov, a former Microsoft executive, was appointed as president and CEO of Citrix, joining the board of directors while Robert Calderoni remained executive chairman.
July 2016: Citrix Spins Off GoTo Product Line
Citrix announced the spin-off of its GoTo product line in July 2016 as part of a deal with LogMeIn, creating a separate entity called GetGo.
2016: Citrix Spins Off GoTo Product Line
Citrix spun off its GoTo product line into a new entity, GetGo, as part of a $1.8 billion deal with LogMeIn in 2016.
February 2017: GetGo Becomes LogMeIn Subsidiary
In February 2017, Citrix finalized the merger that made GetGo, its former GoTo product line, a subsidiary of LogMeIn, in a transaction valued at approximately $1.8 billion.
May 2017: Citrix Unveils Citrix Analytics for Security
Citrix launched Citrix Analytics for Security at the Citrix Synergy conference in Orlando, Florida, in May 2017. This AI-powered software was designed to detect and respond to security threats.
July 2017: David Henshall Becomes CEO
David Henshall was appointed as the CEO of Citrix in July 2017.
October 2017: Citrix Announces Layoffs and Office Consolidations
In October 2017, Citrix informed regulators of its plans to lay off employees across various departments and consolidate offices between fall 2017 and 2018.
2017: GetGo Merges with LogMeIn Products
Citrix completed the merger of its spun-off entity, GetGo, with LogMeIn's products in 2017.
2017: Citrix Expands Partnership with Google
Citrix strengthened its partnership with Google in 2017. This included Google adding support for Citrix XenApp on its Chrome web browser and the companies working together to enable Citrix Cloud to deploy virtualized applications and desktops on Google Cloud.
November 2018: Citrix Acquires Sapho
Citrix acquired Sapho, a software startup specializing in micro apps for workers, for $200 million in November 2018.
2018: Citrix Conducts Layoffs and Office Closures
Citrix followed through with its layoff plan in 2018, resulting in job cuts in Raleigh, North Carolina, and office closures in Santa Barbara, California, and Tempe, Arizona.
2018: Citrix Rebrands Products for Cloud Focus
Citrix renamed several products in 2018 to reflect its shift to a cloud operating model and create a more unified product line. Notably, XenApp and XenDesktop were renamed Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, while XenMobile became Citrix Endpoint Management.
May 2019: Citrix Introduces Citrix Analytics for Performance
Citrix introduced Citrix Analytics for Performance at the Citrix Summit conference in May 2019. This software quantified user experience for virtual application and desktop users and utilized machine learning for performance troubleshooting.
2019: Citrix Reports Revenue
Citrix generated $3.01 billion in revenue in 2019.
2020: Citrix in Fortune 1000 and Forbes Global 2000
In 2020, Citrix was ranked 779 on the Fortune 1000 and 1,267 on the Forbes Global 2000.
January 2021: Citrix Announces Intent to Acquire Wrike
Citrix announced its intention to acquire Wrike for $2.25 billion in January 2021.
March 2021: Citrix Completes Wrike Acquisition
Citrix completed the acquisition of Wrike in March 2021.
October 2021: Henshall Steps Down, Calderoni Returns as Interim CEO
David Henshall stepped down as CEO of Citrix in October 2021, and Robert Calderoni was once again appointed as the interim CEO.
2021: Citrix Records $3.2 Billion in Revenue
Citrix generated $3.2 billion in revenue and had 9,700 employees in 2021.
December 31, 2021: Citrix Reports Employee Count
As of December 31, 2021, Citrix had approximately 9,700 employees, reflecting fluctuations in workforce size over the years.
January 31, 2022: Citrix Acquired by Vista Equity Partners and Evergreen Coast Capital
Citrix was acquired in a $16.5 billion deal by affiliates of Vista Equity Partners and Evergreen Coast Capital on January 31, 2022. The plan was to merge Citrix with TIBCO, another Vista portfolio company, to form Cloud Software Group (CSG).
July 2022: Tom Krause Named CEO, Citrix to Go Private
In July 2022, it was announced that Tom Krause would succeed Robert Calderoni as CEO of Citrix following the merger, with the company transitioning to a private entity as part of the deal.
September 2022: Citrix Secures Loan for Buyout, Citrix Hypervisor Spun Off
In September 2022, Citrix secured a substantial loan to back its $16.5 billion buyout by Vista Equity and Evergreen Coast Capital. As part of the merger, Citrix Hypervisor was spun off into a standalone business unit under CSG and rebranded as XenServer.
September 30, 2022: Citrix Acquired and Merged with TIBCO Software
Vista Equity Partners and Evergreen Coast Capital Corp acquired Citrix, and subsequently merged it with TIBCO Software to form the Cloud Software Group on September 30, 2022.
