WatchGuard Technologies has announced the appointment of Joe Smolarski as Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Vats Srivatsan, who will remain on the company’s Board of Directors to advise on growth and strategy. Bringing over 25 years of experience in technology, operations, and strategy, Smolarski previously played a key role in Kaseya’s multi-billion-dollar growth by integrating multiple acquisitions and scaling its MSP platform.
“WatchGuard has an incredible foundation, a world-class technology platform, and an MSP-first business model,” said Smolarski. “Cybersecurity has become central to every MSP’s growth strategy, and WatchGuard is perfectly positioned to lead that evolution.” Alex Slusky, Chairman of WatchGuard and Founding Partner of Vector Capital, added, “Joe has a proven track record of delivering phenomenal growth in MSP-focused technology organizations and will accelerate WatchGuard’s operational and innovation momentum.”
Backed by Vector Capital, WatchGuard has strengthened its Unified Security Platform and achieved record financial performance under Srivatsan’s leadership. The company continues to expand its position in the cybersecurity market, serving more than 250,000 customers through over 17,000 security resellers and service providers worldwide.