McAfee is once again an independent security company

Last year Intel announced it would spin-out its security division, which largely consists of the McAfee unit it bought for $7.68 billion in 2010, in a deal with private equity firm TPG.

Today we hear the transaction is now complete, Intel Security is no more as all assets have been transferred to a new entity that will be known under the familiar McAfee name. Intel's plan for McAfee didn't pan out and now the hope is that McAfee can do better on its own.

TPG receives a controlling stake of 51 percent, in exchange for handing $3.1 billion in cash to Intel and $1.1 billion cash to the new entity. The other 49 percent of McAfee is held by Intel.

McAfee (the “Company”), the globally trusted security provider, announced today that it has begun operating as a new standalone company. As a standalone business, McAfee is one of the world’s largest pure-play cybersecurity firms. Built on the belief that “Together is Power,” the new McAfee will expand upon its leading security solutions platform to better enable customers to effectively identify and orchestrate responses to cyber-threats.

The launch of McAfee marks the closing of the previously announced investment by TPG and Intel Corporation (INTC) to establish a pure-play cybersecurity company with access to significant capital, operational and technology resources. Additionally, McAfee announced that leading private equity investment firm Thoma Bravo has joined, as a minority investor in the Company, through an agreement with TPG. As previously announced, Intel is retaining a 49 percent equity stake in the new entity.

With the help of its new investment partners, McAfee will apply greater market focus, build its platform and target new financial, operational and technology investments to better address the cybersecurity market’s significant global growth opportunity. Intel Senior Vice President and General Manager Chris Young will lead the new McAfee as Chief Executive Officer. TPG Partner Bryan Taylor has been named Chairman of the Board.

“Cybersecurity is the greatest challenge of the connected age, weighing heavily on the minds of parents, executives and world leaders alike,” said Christopher Young, CEO of McAfee. “As a standalone company with a clear purpose, McAfee gains the agility to unite people, technology and organizations against our common adversaries and ensure our technology-driven future is safe.”

“We offer Chris Young and the McAfee team our full support as they establish themselves as one of the largest pure-play cybersecurity companies in the industry,” said Brian Krzanich, Intel CEO. “Security remains important to Intel, and in addition to our equity position and ongoing collaboration with McAfee, Intel will continue to integrate industry-leading security and privacy capabilities in our products from the cloud to billions of smart, connected computing devices.”

“Since its founding, McAfee has been dedicated to offering its customers industry-leading cybersecurity solutions,” said Bryan Taylor, Partner at TPG Capital and Chairman of the Board at McAfee. “Its ongoing commitment to product innovation, a rich partner ecosystem, and superior customer service has created a trusted brand that will thrive as a standalone entity. We look forward to working with the company and our partners to accelerate growth and continue building a leading cybersecurity platform that serves to protect customers in today’s changing environment.”

“McAfee is a global organization with a 30-year history and a brand known the world over for innovation, trust and collaboration. Given our years of focus on the security software sector, we see great opportunity for McAfee to continue to advance and innovate,” said Seth Boro, a Managing Partner at Thoma Bravo. “Our deep sector knowledge and history of helping build successful businesses will be an asset to the company, and we look forward to working with the management team and our colleagues at TPG and Intel to guide McAfee through its next chapter of growth.”