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06 November 2025
WatchGuard® Technologies, a global leader in unified cybersecurity solutions and a portfolio company of Vector Capital, has announced the appointment of Joe Smolarski as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Smolarski succeeds Vats Srivatsan, who has been serving as interim CEO since May 2025 and will remain on the company's board of directors to advise on growth and strategy.
Under Vats' leadership, WatchGuard achieved significant milestones, including revitalising innovation, strengthening operational execution, and accelerating AI adoption. The company modernised its hardware and software delivery models for partners, launched major updates to its network security portfolio, and delivered a record-breaking third quarter in both performance and growth. These efforts have resulted in increased market share, record financial results, and enhanced momentum across its Unified Security Platform® and MSP-focused business model.
Joe Smolarski brings over 25 years of leadership experience in technology, operations, and strategy. Known for his results-driven, partner-centric approach, he has successfully led organisations through periods of transformation and growth. Most recently, Smolarski played a key role in driving a tenfold revenue increase and multi-billion-dollar valuation growth at Kaseya, where he unified teams, technologies, and partners around a customer-first platform vision.
In his new role, Smolarski will work closely with WatchGuard’s executive team and Board to continue advancing the company's strategic initiatives, operational excellence, and global partner success.
He expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity, stating, “WatchGuard has an incredible foundation, a world-class technology platform, and a strong reputation for trust and performance. Cybersecurity is now central to MSP growth, and WatchGuard is perfectly positioned to lead that evolution. I look forward to building on this momentum and making WatchGuard the cybersecurity vendor of choice for the MSP community,” said Smolarski.
Alex Slusky, Chairman of WatchGuard and Founding Partner of Vector Capital, praised Vats Srivatsan’s leadership and welcomed Joe’s appointment, emphasising his proven track record of scaling MSP-focused technology organisations through organic growth and acquisitions.
Smolarski’s experience in leading Kaseya’s growth and integration efforts positions him well to accelerate WatchGuard’s next chapter of innovation and partner success, reinforcing its commitment to delivering enterprise-grade security solutions tailored for MSPs and the broader cybersecurity market.
