The leaves are beginning to change, and so too are the executive benches of several major IT players, including several new chief executive officers (CEOs).
These new appointments consistently align with the organization’s growth strategies and expanding partner ecosystems.
From month to month, Channel Insider is keeping track of the major positional changes that impact the channel ecosystem. Read more about September’s leadership changes below.
HPE and others tap new channel-focused leaders
HPE appoints Phil Mottram as Global Sales Lead, Heiko Meyer to retire
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has recently named Phil Mottram as Executive Vice President and Chief Sales Officer, following the retirement of Heiko Meyer.
Mottram will be charged with leading HPE’s global sales teams across its Servers and Hybrid Cloud solutions. He will also lead its channel and partner ecosystem.
“HPE’s global sales function connects our customers and partners with the technology and solutions that power their ambitions,” said Antonio Neri, President and CEO of HPE. “Phil is an exceptional fit for this role with his deep understanding of and focus on customer needs, collaborative leadership style, global perspective, and track record of driving growth. His experience leading HPE Aruba Networking will facilitate strong connections across the entirety of HPE’s portfolio.”
Meyer is retiring after 38 years with HPE. He led the organization’s sales transformation and shifts in its go-to-market model.
“I joined HP in 1984 as a student in Germany and immediately connected to the company’s culture of high-performance, customer-first mentality, and community impact,” said Meyer. “Leading our Global Sales organization has been the highlight of my career, as I’ve had the opportunity to meet with customers, partners, and team members from around the world. I retire from HPE feeling proud of the team and fortunate to have spent my career in service of our customers and partners. I look forward to spending more time with my family here in the U.S. and back in Germany.”
Keepit names Jan Ursi as VP of Global Channels
Keepit, a provider of SaaS data protection, recovery, and cyber resilience, has appointed Jan Ursi as Vice President of Global Channels.
Ursi will be tasked with leading Keepit’s global partner strategy to meet accelerating market demand for SaaS data backup and recovery. He will focus on expanding Keepit’s partner ecosystem worldwide to strengthen the relationships that make Keepit’s independent, vendor-neutral SaaS data protection and cyber resilience available in every market.
“Keepit’s culture is built on making each other stronger– colleagues, customers, and partners alike,” said Ursi. “That collaborative foundation is the ideal platform for growth. My mission is to ensure Keepit becomes synonymous with the channel– and with that, to deliver peace of mind to more organizations, faster, making their business thrive.”
He previously led partner and alliance initiatives at Rubrik, UiPath, Nutanix, and Infoblox, while also helping expand NetScreen and Juniper in Europe.
“Jan has a rare ability to not only build strong partner networks, but also to inspire trust and collaboration across teams, markets, and industries,” said Craig Bumpus, Chief Revenue Officer at Keepit. “As organizations everywhere face growing cyber resilience and compliance challenges. Jan’s leadership will ensure that our partners are empowered to deliver the value, simplicity, and independence that set Keepit apart.”
AppViewX names Troy Dankworth as Channel Chief
AppViewX, an automated certificate lifecycle management (CLM) and public key infrastructure (PKI) software provider, has named Troy Dankworth as Vice President of Global Channels & Partnerships.
Dankworth will work to accelerate global partner growth, deepen strategic alliances, and scale AppViewX’s channel ecosystem to meet demand for enterprise-grade machine identity orchestration, private PKI modernization, and crypto-agility solutions.
“AppViewX is at a market inflection point. As one of the few partner-first vendors in the machine identity space, service providers are central to our growth strategy,” said Dankworth. “Working closely with our partners, we can scale faster, unlock new opportunities for their business, and deliver greater value to customers. My focus will be on building a high-performance ecosystem that not only accelerates AppViewX’s global reach, but also helps partners grow their revenues by solving critical machine identity and certificate lifecycle challenges.”
Dankworth comes over from Keyfactor, a machine and IoT identity platform for modern enterprises, serving as vice president of channels.
Global technology provider and specialist distributor, Westcon-Comstor is promoting Stéphane Reboud to Senior Vice President, Sales for Europe.
This move is a strategic step for Westcon-Comstor in unifying its European sales function under a single leadership structure to ensure consistency of experience across its partner and vendor ecosystem, while enabling closer internal collaboration through aligned execution and shared best practices.
“I’m humbled and energized to take on this responsibility,” said Reboud. “We’re on a strong trajectory, and I believe that as one unified team, we can achieve even more. My focus will be on listening actively and fostering a culture of collaboration and empowerment to deliver excellence for our partners and vendors.”
Reboud most recently worked at Dell, growing the mid-market business segment globally and mobilizing Dell’s sales teams and channel partner ecosystem to meet customer-specific needs.
Netwrix appoints Frank DeCicco as Head of Americas Channel, Stuart Robson-Frisby as Vice President, Worldwide Channel
Netwrix, a cybersecurity provider with a focus on data and identity threats, announced two senior channel leadership appointments this month: Frank DeCicco as Head of Americas Channel and Stuart Robson-Frisby as Vice President, Worldwide Channel.
DeCicco has prior experience leading partner sales organizations at Tanium and Cisco, and brings over two decades of partner experience to the role.
“Netwrix’s investment in its partner community, combined with its clear vision for identity-first security, creates a powerful opportunity for customers and partners alike,” said DeCicco.
Robson-Frisby, meanwhile, will be focused on leading Netwrix’s global distributor and channel network.
“With Frank’s expertise and our continued focus on partners, we’re building a stronger ecosystem worldwide and enabling partners to help customers protect what matters most: their data and identities,” said Robson-Frisby.
Vendors across tech types add new leadership to bolster growth and AI opportunities
Barracuda announces new CEO
Former RSA CEO, Rohit Ghai, will be taking over as CEO of security vendor, Barracuda, replacing Hatem Naguib at the helm.
Ghai brings with him two decades of executive leadership across various cybersecurity and SaaS companies, including RSA, EMC, Symantec, and CA Technologies.
“I’m honored to join Barracuda at such a dynamic inflection point in its evolution. The company stands at the intersection of innovation and impact, with a strong foundation and a bold vision for the future,” said Ghai. “Barracuda’s commitment to delivering industry-leading solutions and its relentless focus on partner and customer success make it a world-class organization. I am grateful to the board for placing their trust in me and am excited about the opportunity to accelerate Barracuda’s business momentum.”
Ghai will also sit on the Barracuda board of directors. He currently sits on the boards of Pegasystems, D-Wave Systems, and MHC Software.
Naguib has been Barracuda’s CEO since 2021, following roles as the company’s COO, senior vice president, and general manager of the security business unit.
Jason Teichman named Paessler GmbH CEO
Paessler GmbH, a provider of IT and OT monitoring solutions, is appointing Jason Teichman as CEO, succeeding Helmut Binder.
“I’m excited to join Paessler at such a pivotal time in the company’s journey,” said Teichman. “Network administrators are the backbone of modern business operations, yet they often work behind the scenes with increasingly complex responsibilities. At Paessler, we recognize their crucial role and are committed to developing solutions that not only solve their technical challenges, but also truly enhance their daily work experience. Our goal is to be the trusted partner that helps these professionals keep their networks running securely, efficiently, and reliably so that their businesses can operate without interruption.”
Teichman most recently served as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at WP Engine, overseeing the end-to-end customer journey, including sales, channel partnerships, customer success, and retention.
He also has prior chief executive experience, having served as CEO of Pond5, a video-first content marketplace; as EVP and COO at Web.com, now part of Network Solutions, a domain portfolio manager; and as SVP of marketing and product management at Register.com, another Network Solutions brand.
Mitel names Mike Robinson CEO
Mitel has tapped Mike Robinson to be the company’s new CEO, succeeding Tarun Loomba.
Robinson will lead Mitel’s next transformation phase and brings over three decades of experience in telecom, infrastructure, and enterprise services. He has held prior leadership roles as CEO, CFO, and board director across public and private companies globally. He most recently served as president and CEO of Sungard Availability Solutions and currently chairs Everstream Solutions, a fiber-based telecommunications carrier.
“Mitel has made tremendous progress under Tarun’s leadership, and I’m grateful for the strong foundation he and the team have built through the acquisition of Unify and the financial restructuring,” said Robinson. “This is an important moment for the company. My priority is to move quickly through this next phase by listening and engaging with employees, customers, and partners, and ensuring our strategy continues to create value for those we serve. Mitel has an incredibly strong and loyal customer base, and I am committed to demonstrating that same loyalty back to them through the value, reliability, and innovation we deliver.”
Channelscaler announces Brian Martin as CEO
Cloud-based channel enablement platform, Channelscaler, has announced that Brian Martin will take over as the company’s CEO.
Kenneth Fox will transition fully into the role of founder and CTO.
“As more and more companies across all verticals increasingly depend on their partner ecosystem, the Channelscaler platform has enabled hundreds of mid-market and enterprise customers worldwide to scale their indirect and channel businesses,” said Martin. “I am thrilled and honored to join Channelscaler at this pivotal moment in the industry, and I look forward to collaborating with Kenneth as he shifts his focus to delivering industry-leading innovation and world-class customer support through the Channelscaler platform.”
Martin most recently served as Chief Revenue Officer at Litmus Software, which was acquired by Validity in April 2025.
Yehia Maaty Omar named Zones CEO
Global provider of end-to-end IT solutions and services, Zones, announced that it would be naming Yehia Maaty Omar as CEO.
Omar succeeds Firoz Lalji, who stepped down as CEO on September 1, 2025 and will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board for Zones while remaining “involved in the company’s long-term vision and strategic direction.”
“I look forward to leveraging my experience to make an immediate impact as CEO for Zones,” said Omar. “Together with our talented team, we will continue to deliver world-class IT solutions and services to clients around the globe.”
Omar’s previous roles include President of Megalos Consulting, CEO of Curvature, and Executive Committee Member at Xerox Corporation.
“I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Yehia and have full confidence in his leadership to guide Zones through this next phase,” said Lalji. “Yehia’s global experience and deep industry expertise will be instrumental in accelerating our ability to achieve near-term goals and drive long-term strategic growth.”
DRUID AI finds new CEO in Joseph Kim
DRUID AI has a new CEO with Joseph Kim stepping into the role, bringing over two decades of operating executive experience in the application, infrastructure, and security industries.
He takes over for DRUID AI co-founder and COO Andreea Plesea who was serving as interim CEO.
“Customer success is what it’s all about, and delivering real business outcomes requires understanding companies’ pain points and introducing innovations that help those customers address their complex challenges,” said Kim. “That’s the DRUID AI way, and now we’re bringing it to the world through this new phase of global growth.”
Kim most recently served as CEO of SUMO Logic and currently serves on the boards of directors of SmartBear and Andela. His experience also includes being senior operating partner at Francisco Partners and CPTO at Citrix, SolarWinds, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
CMOs, CISOs, and more: the other c-suite moves from September
Bluehost names Salim Ali as CMO, Wesley Pua as CFO
Bluehost, a leader of hosting with deep expertise in web and commerce hosting, has announced two new members to its executive team: Salim Ali as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Wesley Pua as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Ali brings 25 years of experience in scaling growth and technology brands, and brings deep expertise in AI, SaaS, and building full-funnel customer journeys. He was recently CMO at Gupshup AI and CMO of WordPress VIP.
“Bluehost is an iconic brand powering millions of SMBs. I’m excited to lead the brand’s next evolution, expand our AI-powered offerings, and drive customer growth at scale,” said Ali. “Together, we’ll shape the future of SMB digital success and make Bluehost the platform of choice for SMBs worldwide.”
Pua is a veteran finance leader with over 20 years of experience in high-scale ecommerce, consumer marketplaces, and SaaS organizations. He was recently at Fabric and Udemy, playing a key role in taking Udemy public.
“Bluehost is at a pivotal moment, expanding its reach and redefining what SMBs can expect from a modern SaaS platform,” said Pua. “I look forward to building on the company’s strong foundation with disciplined growth, operational rigor, and strategic investment to deliver exceptional value for our vibrant community of customers, employees, and investors.”
Netrio appoints Tibby Fogarty as General Counsel, Pete Salamanca as COO
Full-service IT MSP, Netrio, has appointed Elizabeth “Tibby” Fogarty as General Counsel and Pete Salamanca as Chief Operating Officer (COO).
“As we continue to grow, both organically and through acquisition, building and maintaining a strong operational foundation, one rooted in delivering an exceptional customer experience, is essential,” said Gina Murphy, President and Chief Transformation Officer at Netrio. “This is where Tibby and Pete will play a pivotal role. They bring proven leadership, strong industry experience, and a commitment to excellence that will help drive us to our next phase of growth.”
Fogarty previously served as executive legal counsel across private equity-backed technology companies, venture-backed startups, law firms, and academia. In her current role, she will lead both the legal and human resources functions, while providing strategic counsel to Netrio’s executive team.
Salamanca will oversee Netrio’s service delivery and business operations. His prior experience includes serving as COO of Navisite, leading global operations and governance initiatives to support business growth and ensure top customer experience.
Jimmy Tsang appointed CMO of MIND
MIND, a data loss prevention (DLP) company, will name Jimmy Tsang as CMO, leading the scaling of MIND’s global presence, propelling revenue growth, and boosting the company’s brand positioning in the DLP field.
“Taking on the CMO role is an exciting opportunity to push boundaries that will deliver disruptive innovation to this industry,” said Tsang. “I’m committed to fueling MIND’s growth to reimagine DLP in this AI era and further its mission of protecting organizations’ most sensitive data.”
Tsang joined MIND in 2023, leading the company’s strategic branding and escalating its market presence. He brings over two decades of experience in cybersecurity and marketing, previously serving as Vice President of Marketing at Pondurance and leading both product and content marketing for IBM Security.
“Jimmy has a proven track record of helping organizations define their marketing vision and transforming it into a measurable business impact,” said Eran Barak, Co-Founder and CEO at MIND. “This new executive appointment underscores Jimmy’s contributions to MIND in advancing MIND’s go-to-market capabilities and building a veteran marketing team as we become a market leader in data security.”
Halcyon named Tony Spinelli its new Field CISO
Halcyon, a leading anti-ransomware solution provider, recently announced the appointment of Tony Spinelli as Vice President, Field Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).
Spinelli brings over three decades of cybersecurity and technology leadership, including leading security for organizations such as Capital One, Tyco International, Equifax, and First Data Corporation. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (Cybersecurity Subcommittee) and Peapack Gladstone Bank.
“Ransomware is the most urgent cyber threat facing enterprises today, disrupting hospitals, banks, and businesses of every size,” Spinelli said. “Organizations need solutions that not only stop attacks, but ensure they can recover without paying a ransom. Halcyon delivers that resilience, and I am excited to join a team that is empowering defenders to take back control and stay ahead of adversaries.”
In his new role, Spinelli will guide strategy, engage with regulators, and share practical approaches that reduce risk and bolster defenses.
Smartsheet names Ravi Soin as CISO
Smartsheet, an AI-enhanced enterprise-grade work management platform, announced that Ravi Soin will take over as the company’s CISO.
He will lead Smartsheet’s global IT and security strategy to embed cybersecurity practices across the company and its products, while consulting on the company’s product roadmap and guiding data privacy initiatives amid rapid advancements in AI.
“I am incredibly excited to join Smartsheet, a company that clearly understands the foundational importance of security for building a truly enterprise-ready platform, and recognizes that a strong IT infrastructure can be a strategic differentiator for innovation and operational excellence, driving growth and enhancing efficiency across the organization,” said Soin. “Throughout my career, I’ve found great fulfillment in helping customers succeed through secure, scalable technology, and I look forward to further strengthening Smartsheet’s security posture and ensuring that our IT infrastructure and cybersecurity practices are world-class to support our customers’ most critical work.”
Soin most recently served as CIO and CISO at Edifecs, a healthcare software company, and held various product roles at Microsoft. He also currently serves on the SeattleCIO advisory board.
Kaseya names Anthony Anzevino as CRO, Pratik Wadher as CTO
Kaseya, a major provider of AI-powered IT management and cybersecurity software, announced the appointment of Anthony Anzevino as CRO and Pratik Wadher as CTO.
Anzevino previously led large sales organizations at Commvault, Veeam, and AWS. His new role as CRO at Kaseya will see him charged with aligning sales and customer success, deepening client partnerships, and boosting Kaseya’s growth.
“What initially got me excited about joining Kaseya is the company’s impressive and expansive customer and partner ecosystem,” said Anzevino. “I also got a glimpse of the hard-working culture that helps them win on a daily basis. Combining that with the executive team’s focus on customer experience and innovation, I believe Kaseya is positioned to have a tremendous positive impact on the global SMB market.”
Wadher brings over 25 years of experience to the position, with prior senior executive roles at Intuit, Applatix, and Data Domain.
He will focus on advancing Kaseya’s unified, AI-first platform that brings the company’s 40+ products into one intelligent system.
“With AI reshaping how small businesses and MSPs manage IT and security, Kaseya is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation with an AI-driven platform,” said Wadher. “I was drawn to Kaseya’s leadership in IT and cybersecurity management and the opportunity to accelerate its next chapter of innovation.”
Morphisec adds Rohyt Belani as strategic advisor
Morphisec, a leader in prevention-first cybersecurity and anti-ransomware solutions, recently named Rohyt Belani as its new Strategic Advisor to strengthen the company’s go-to-market strategy, MSSP channel expansion, and leadership in anti-ransomware innovation.
“Morphisec’s prevention-first approach to cybersecurity and its commitment to channel partnerships are unmatched,” said Belani. “I’m excited to partner with Ron [Reinfeld, CEO of Morphisec] and the Morphisec team as they continue to redefine ransomware prevention and preemptive cyber defense. Together, we’ll focus on building stronger relationships with MSSPs and accelerating the company’s already impressive momentum in the market.”
Belani’s experience includes founding Cofense and holding leadership positions at Intrepidus Group, Mandiant, and Foundstone. He currently serves as Managing Partner at Litmus Advisors, specializing in guiding technology companies through growth, scaling, and fundraising.
SentinelOne appoints Ana Pinczuk as the President of Product & Technology
SentinelOne, an AI-native security provider, recently appointed Ana Pinczuk as President of Product & Technology to lead the company’s global product and technology organization, including research & development, AI and platform engineering, product management, and technology operations.
Pinczuk succeeds Ric Smith in the role, who will be departing SentinelOne to pursue new opportunities.
“SentinelOne has built the foundation for security in the AI-driven world by bringing industry-leading innovations to market,” said Pinczuk. “I am honored to join this extraordinary team and help lead the next phase of innovation– expanding our AI-native platform, advancing autonomous SOC, and empowering customers to stay ahead by harnessing the power of AI in an increasingly complex security landscape.”
Pinczuk brings nearly three decades of experience scaling category-defining SaaS and cybersecurity businesses to the role. She has been on the SentinelOne Board of Directors since 2022 and has past experience in product and technology leadership roles at HPE, Anaplan, Veritas, and Symantec, as well as senior executive roles at Cisco and AT&T.
Paula Cipollone named Presidio’s new Chief Transformation Officer
Technology services and solutions provider, Presidio, has a new Chief Transformation Officer– promoting Paula Cipollone into the role.
The newly created role will see Cipollone lead strategic operations, revenue operations, and the newly launched Transformation Management Office, which will focus on streamlining operations and driving AI-powered transformation to simplify customer engagement and empower internal teams.
“This is a pivotal time, with AI opening new opportunities to create value across our organization,” said Cipollone. “By aligning strategy, data, and execution, we will become more agile and responsive, better equipping us to deliver smarter solutions that drive meaningful outcomes for our clients and teams.”
Prior to joining Presidio, Cipollone held leadership positions at Dell, Varian Medical, and LifeStance Health.
Missed last month’s leadership moves? We got you covered. Learn more about the major channel shifts from August.
