Investment provides growth capital and operational resources to accelerate IT and OT cybersecurity services and technology - while preserving leadership continuity and client experience.
Atlanta, GA – March 4, 2026 – Today, Critical Path Security ("CPS") and Léargas Security announced a strategic growth investment from Shoals Growth, a technology services investment fund focused on cybersecurity. The investment strengthens CPS and Léargas' ability to invest in people, capabilities, and product innovation - while keeping day-to-day operations and client engagements unchanged.
CPS and Léargas will continue operating under their respective brands, with the same teams and the same commitment to responsive, outcome-driven security for clients across both IT and OT environments.
Leadership
As part of this next chapter, LJ Campbell will join CPS and Léargas as Chief Executive Officer. Campbell brings deep industry experience from his time at Bain & Company and Booz Allen Hamilton's commercial cyber risk practice, with work spanning IT and OT cybersecurity.
Patrick Kelley, founder of Critical Path Security, will continue to lead security strategy and technical direction as Founder and Chief Security Officer (CSO).
What the investment supports
The investment adds growth capital and operational resources to accelerate:
- CPS service delivery: security operations maturity, incident response readiness, and advisory capability expansion.
- Léargas product roadmap: IT and OT visibility, detections, integrations, and customer experience improvements.
- Go-to-market expansion: deeper partner relationships and broader customer reach.
Client continuity
There are no changes to existing client engagements, service commitments, points of contact, or day-to-day operations as a result of this investment.
Patrick Kelley, Founder and Chief Security Officer, Critical Path Security and Léargas Security:
“This investment represents fuel, not a change in direction. We built Critical Path Security and Léargas Security with a clear mission: deliver real security outcomes across IT and OT environments without losing the human element that makes security programs actually work.
Shoals Growth brings operational strength and growth capital that allow us to scale faster and invest deeper in our people, our platform, and our clients. What does not change is who we are. Our teams remain in place. Our client relationships remain intact. Our standards remain high.
Welcoming LJ Campbell as CEO allows me to focus fully on security strategy, technical direction, and innovation across both organizations. That focus is where I create the most value for our clients and our partners.
This is about building something enduring. Stronger execution. Broader reach. Deeper impact. And we are just getting started.”
About Critical Path Security
Critical Path Security is a cybersecurity services business providing human-led security operations, incident response, advisory support, and ongoing security programs for organizations that need trusted execution and measurable outcomes across IT and OT environments.
About Léargas Security
Léargas Security is a cybersecurity technology business that delivers visibility and detection capabilities designed to help critical infrastructure and industrial operators understand and reduce cyber risk across IT and OT environments.
About Shoals Growth
Shoals Growth is a technology services investment fund focused on cybersecurity.