WatchGuard Technologies, a global leader in unified cybersecurity for the channel, is entering a new growth phase with the appointment of Joe Smolarski as the company’s new CEO. This transition follows several months during which Vats Srivatsan has served as interim CEO since May 2025, a period in which the company has reportedly boosted innovation, accelerated AI adoption, and modernized its product model.
Srivatsan will step back from daily executive duties but remain involved with WatchGuard as a member of the board of directors, where he will advise on growth and strategy. Behind this transition is also Vector Capital, the investment fund that owns WatchGuard, which aims to position the company as a key provider for managed service providers (MSPs) globally.
A leadership change amid a growth cycle
WatchGuard’s announcement emphasizes that the period under Vats Srivatsan’s interim leadership has been anything but a passive transition. During these months, the company:
- Has reenergized its pace of innovation.
- Has strengthened its operational execution.
- Has accelerated AI adoption within its platform.
- Has modernized its hardware and software delivery model for partners.
- Has launched a major overhaul of its network security portfolio.
- And achieved a record third quarter in both performance and growth.
According to the company, these initiatives have driven revenue and profitability growth, increased its global market share, and added momentum to its Unified Security Platform, especially within the MSP segment, a strategic focus for WatchGuard in recent years.
In this context, Smolarski’s appointment aims to “build on the momentum already generated”, not to change course, but to scale the model toward a new phase of expansion.
Who is Joe Smolarski and why does he matter to MSPs
Joe Smolarski joins WatchGuard with over 25 years of experience in technology leadership, operations, and strategy, with a well-established reputation as a .
His most recent role was at Kaseya, a key player in MSP tools, where he helped to:
- Drive a revenue growth of up to ten times.
- Achieve a multi-billion dollar increase in company valuation.
- Integrate more than a dozen acquisitions into a unified platform.
This work largely involved aligning teams, technologies, and partners around a common platform vision, very similar to the ambition now guiding WatchGuard: a unified cybersecurity platform, automated and manageable at scale for service providers.
Smolarski will work closely with WatchGuard’s executive team and board to reinforce core priorities: operational execution, ongoing innovation, and partner channel success.
A cybersecurity platform designed for MSPs
WatchGuard’s strategy revolves around its Unified Security Platform, an approach that combines:
- Advanced network, endpoint protection, and threat detection technologies.
- Automation to reduce operational burden on security teams and MSPs.
- Simplified management, focusing on centralized administration for multiple clients.
The goal is for MSPs to be able to offer enterprise-grade security at scale, without needing to integrate multiple disparate solutions or uncontrollably increase costs and operational complexity.
From this perspective, Smolarski’s experience in integrating products, companies, and teams within a single platform at Kaseya aligns with WatchGuard’s strategic direction: turning cybersecurity into a standardized, scalable, and profitable managed service for the channel.
Message from shareholders: platform, growth, and integration
From Vector Capital, owner of WatchGuard, the message about the leadership change is clear. Its founding partner and chairman of the board, Alex Slusky, emphasizes that:
- Vats Srivatsan has been key to accelerating performance in a very short period.
- Joe Smolarski is the right profile to drive the next growth phase, especially in an environment where consolidation and integrated platforms are trends.
Slusky highlights Smolarski’s ability to scale teams and technologies and to combine organic growth with acquisitions, keeping the success of MSP partners at the core.
The overarching idea is that cybersecurity has shifted from being a collection of isolated products to a living platform, where integration, automation, and partner experience truly make a difference.
“We want WatchGuard to be synonymous with cybersecurity for MSPs”
In his first statements as CEO, Smolarski describes WatchGuard as a company with a top-tier technology platform, a “MSP-first” business model, and a trusted reputation for performance already well recognized in the market.
He emphasizes that cybersecurity has become the center of growth strategy for any MSP, and that WatchGuard is well positioned to lead this evolution. His clear goal is to make the company the top cybersecurity provider for the MSP ecosystem worldwide.
This message aligns with market trends: MSP providers are increasingly assuming responsibility for protecting networks, endpoints, identities, and data of thousands of small and medium-sized businesses without in-house security teams.
Market recognition and technical validation
WatchGuard notes that its platform approach is built on a foundation of recognition from analysts and independent evaluators in key cybersecurity categories, such as:
- Presence in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Hybrid Mesh Firewall.
- Ranked as a Champion in Channelys’s cybersecurity leadership matrix.
- Designated a Major Player in IDC MarketScape for Hybrid Firewall.
- Rated as a Leader and Outperformer in EDR and NDR reports by firms like GigaOm and SPARK Matrix.
Independent technical evaluations like MITRE Engenuity ATT&CK also validate its detection and response capabilities against advanced threats.
Additionally, customer reviews on platforms such as TrustRadius and Gartner Peer Insights highlight the ease of deployment, dependability, and quality of support — critical factors for MSPs managing dozens or hundreds of client environments.
Implications for the industry
The appointment of Smolarski sends several messages to the cybersecurity market:
- The game is in platforms and channels: providers that successfully integrate everything (firewall, endpoint, threat detection, identity management, automation) into a seamless experience for MSPs will have an advantage.
- Consolidation remains key: Smolarski’s background suggests that technology integration — through internal development or acquisitions — will continue to be a strategic driver.
- AI and automation are no longer optional: WatchGuard has already committed to fast AI adoption as part of its roadmap, in line with an industry where cybersecurity talent shortages push for automation of increasingly many tasks.
Ultimately, Smolarski’s arrival at WatchGuard marks the start of a “new chapter” combining strategic continuity, MSP focus, and growth ambition in an increasingly competitive, platform-driven market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Joe Smolarski and what is his background prior to joining WatchGuard?
Joe Smolarski is a leader with over 25 years of experience in technology, operations, and strategy. Before becoming CEO of WatchGuard, he played a key role in Kaseya’s rapid growth, helping to multiply revenues tenfold and integrate more than a dozen acquisitions into a unified MSP-oriented platform.
What role will Vats Srivatsan play after stepping down as interim CEO?
Vats Srivatsan will exit daily management but remain on the board of directors, continuing to advise on growth and strategy, having driven modernization efforts and a record-breaking quarter in 2025.
Why is this appointment significant for managed service providers (MSPs)?
Because WatchGuard’s model is built around a unified security platform specifically designed for MSPs, who need to manage security across many clients with limited resources. Smolarski’s experience in building MSP platforms and integrating complex technologies enhances this strategy, offering greater capabilities, integration, and automation for the channel.
What differentiates WatchGuard’s strategy from other cybersecurity providers?
WatchGuard emphasizes a unified platform that integrates various security layers (network, endpoint, detection and response, NDR, EDR, etc.) with high automation and simplified management from a single console. This aims to reduce complexity, operational costs, and tool fragmentation often faced by MSPs and IT departments, while maintaining enterprise-grade security standards.