Skillsoft Appoints Matthew J. Cushing as Chief Legal Officer

Veteran executive brings three decades of experience in legal, governance, commercial strategy, and business transformation

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Skillsoft (NYSE: SKIL), a leading AI-native skills management platform, today announced the appointment of Matthew J. Cushing as Chief Legal Officer, effective Monday, August 3. Mr. Cushing will lead the Company's global legal organization, reporting to Chief Executive Officer Ron Hovsepian. His appointment brings additional experience in governance, commercial leadership, and business transformation to Skillsoft as the Company continues advancing its strategy and growth objectives.

Before joining Skillsoft, Mr. Cushing served in multiple executive leadership roles at Pegasystems, including General Counsel (Chief Legal Officer) and Chief Commercial Officer. During his nearly nine years there, he led the company's global legal function as Pegasystems transitioned to a cloud-first subscription business and entered a period of significant ACV growth.

"The work we've done to reposition Skillsoft has created new opportunities for growth, innovation, and value creation," said Ron Hovsepian, Chief Executive Officer of Skillsoft. "Matt has firsthand experience helping companies navigate complex business transitions while maintaining strong governance and operational discipline. That perspective will be an asset as we continue executing our strategy and driving the business forward."

Before Pegasystems, Mr. Cushing was Vice President and General Counsel of EnerNOC, where he helped lead the company's successful U.S. Supreme Court litigation in FERC v. EPSA. He also served as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Acme Packet, where he led the legal execution of Oracle Corporation's $2.1 billion acquisition of the company. Earlier in his career, he spent 17 years at Bingham McCutchen LLP (now Morgan Lewis), including more than a decade as a partner in the firm's corporate practice.

"I'm excited to join Skillsoft at such an important point in its evolution," said Mr. Cushing. "What attracted me most was the opportunity to join a company with a clear vision, a strong leadership team, and significant opportunities ahead. I look forward to contributing to Skillsoft's continued growth and creating long-term value for shareholders.”

Mr. Cushing succeeds Scott Semel, who served as interim Chief Legal Officer. His appointment completes the planned transition to permanent leadership of the legal function.

"We're grateful to Scott for his leadership and contributions, and we wish him the best," Mr. Hovsepian said.

About Matthew J. Cushing

Mr. Cushing is an experienced public company executive with 30 years of experience in law, governance, and commercial leadership. He served as General Counsel (Chief Legal Officer) and Chief Commercial Officer, among other roles, at Pegasystems, where he held senior leadership roles during the company's transition to a cloud-first subscription business and a period of significant ACV growth. Earlier in his career, he served as Vice President and General Counsel of EnerNOC, where he helped lead the company's successful U.S. Supreme Court litigation in FERC v. EPSA. He also served as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Acme Packet, where he led the legal execution of Oracle Corporation's $2.1 billion acquisition of the company. Before that, he spent 17 years at Bingham McCutchen LLP (now Morgan Lewis), including more than a decade as a partner in the firm's corporate practice, advising public and private companies on mergers and acquisitions, securities, and corporate governance. Mr. Cushing received his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and his B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross.

About Skillsoft

Skillsoft (NYSE: SKIL) is a global leader in skills management for the human + AI era. The AI-native Skillsoft platform gives a clear view of workforce capability, closes critical skill gaps, and proves the impact of skills on business outcomes. With Skillsoft, organizations can build AI-ready teams, lower the cost and time of workforce development, and reduce execution risk as work continues to change. Thousands of organizations worldwide trust Skillsoft to power workforce readiness. Learn more at skillsoft.com.