Harper Names Lelah Manz as Chief Executive Officer

The Denver-based company appoints the former Akamai Technologies executive to lead its next phase of growth.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in People

Harper Names Lelah Manz as Chief Executive Officer

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Harper has appointed Lelah Manz as its new chief executive officer, marking a leadership transition as founder Stephen Goldberg moves to the board of directors. Manz joins the Denver-based firm following nearly two decades of experience at Akamai Technologies.

Why it matters

The appointment signals a strategic shift as Harper aims to move from a category pioneer to a dominant leader in the cloud software space. By bringing in a seasoned executive, the company seeks to accelerate its growth and capitalize on its recent recognition in industry reports.

Lelah Manz spent nearly 20 years at Akamai Technologies before her appointment as CEO. Harper also recently released its core technology under an Apache 2.0 open-source license.

The players

Lelah Manz

The new chief executive officer of Harper previously served as senior vice president and general manager of Data and Shared Services at Akamai Technologies.

Stephen Goldberg

The former Harper executive has transitioned to a new role on the company's board of directors.

Harper

This Denver-based company develops cloud software that consolidates database, caching, and application functions into one process.

The details

Harper develops specialized software that integrates database, caching, and application code into a single process. Its managed cloud platform, Harper Fabric, offers automated failover, routing, and multiregion replication to support its digital commerce solutions.

Lelah Manz was appointed as the new CEO of Harper on October 29, 2026.
Harper was included in multiple Gartner industry reports throughout 2026.

Market Landscape

The leadership change follows Harper's recognition in Gartner's 2026 Hype Cycle for Digital Commerce and Magic Quadrant for Cloud-Native Application Platforms. This move positions the firm to compete more aggressively in the front-end cloud category against established rivals.

Customers can expect continuity in the company's service offerings as it transitions to new leadership. The focus remains on the scalability and reliability of Harper Fabric as the company scales its operations.

The takeaway

Leadership transitions are a critical indicator of a company's readiness to move from an early-stage startup to a mature enterprise. Readers should watch how the company leverages its new management to translate industry accolades into sustained market share growth.