Rob Horton

Chief Operating Officer.

Rob joined Lightspeed in 2022 as Chief Operating Officer and brings 25 years of experience in the technology industry and with venture-backed startups to the firm. “Along the way, I’ve always admired how the best VCs see through the noise to take risks and build the world’s best businesses–businesses that literally change the way we live,” said Rob.

Professionally, Rob is known for having scaled three successive companies – MuleSoft, Infoblox, and BigBand Networks – from startup through IPO, and to the ultimate sale of those companies. And he first came to know Lightspeed through Ravi Mhatre’s service as a board member at MuleSoft. Rob started his career at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he focused on corporate and securities legal work for high-growth technology companies. 

Personally, Rob is a thorough-going Midwesterner. “To Midwesterners, the best attributes you can demonstrate are a fundamental kindness, hard work and honesty.  I look for that in my colleagues, and hopefully people see a little Midwesterner in me,” said Rob.

At Lightspeed, Rob brings an absolute desire to free up the investors to focus on making game-changing investments, and is dedicated to scaling the organization to succeed. He’s passionate about uncovering opportunities to make Lightspeed a better business and a better place to work, from helping drive growth geographically to helping drive growth into new sectors. 

Rob earned his Bachelor of Arts from University of Notre Dame and his JD from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Any free time Rob has is spent with his wife and four kids – shuttling them to events, attending their sports games, and more. He also geeks out on college football.