As we enter the last act of Q1 for organizations in the channel, a few organizations are entering this last stretch with new leadership structures ready to guide them through Q2 and beyond.
Several managed service providers (MSPs) and tech vendors are revamping their executive benches to continue their progress in 2025. Channel Insider continues to follow the latest news on leadership changes in the channel on a month-to-month basis– here are the latest moves:
Kimberly King leaves Hitachi Vantara to take role of Chief Partner Officer at PTC
Industry veteran Kimberly King has become the Chief Partner Officer of PTC, a leader in product lifecycle management software.
King was previously the SVP of Strategic Partners and Alliances at Hitachi Vantara.
“I’m thrilled to step into my new role at PTC, a company whose innovative software empowers manufacturers and product companies to design, build, and maintain the products that shape our world– from automobiles and aircraft to life-saving medical devices and everyday consumer electronics,” King wrote in a LinkedIn post.
Peter Gyenes appointed Chairman at Syncro
Peter Gyenes was recently named chairman of Syncro’s board of directors– one of several strategic moves the platform provider made in recent weeks.
“Syncro is uniquely positioned to address the evolving needs of MSPs and IT professionals with its robust, comprehensive platform,” Gyenes said at the time. “By simplifying IT management and streamlining operations, Syncro enables MSP and IT teams to automate workflows, reduce workloads, and focus on their customers to deliver meaningful results. I look forward to collaborating with the board and the exceptional Syncro team to advance our mission and long-term success.”
The appointment coincides with another recent strategy move by Syncro, which included launching a version of its IT management platform designed specifically for internal IT departments.
Cynet names Jason Magee CEO
Former ConnectWise CEO Jason Magee will be stepping in as CEO of Cynet, a cybersecurity platform.
Magee stepped down as CEO of ConnectWise back in September and will be taking over for Eyal Gruner, who will transition to a role on the company’s Board of Directors, serving as a strategic advisor for Cynet’s executive leadership team.
“There is no greater honor than to lead a company whose purpose is protection and I am truly excited to join Cynet as CEO at a pivotal moment in the company’s success story,” said Magee. “Eyal has built an incredible business based on innovation and trust, and we have a strong team in place to build on that legacy. As cyberattacks increase in volume and sophistication, managed cybersecurity services are in record demand by small-to-medium enterprises. The All-in-One Cybersecurity Platform is purpose-built to meet that demand, and Cynet is resonating in the market. As our team embarks on this journey together, I am motivated by the tremendous opportunity to accelerate growth for Cynet while delivering even greater value for our partners and customers worldwide.”
Justin Hotard leaves Intel for Nokia
Finnish multinational telecommunications, IT, and consumer electronics organization Nokia recently announced that Justin Hotard will become the company’s next president and CEO after Pekka Lundmark steps down.
“I am honored by the opportunity to lead Nokia, a global leader in connectivity with a unique heritage in technology,” said Justin Hotard. “Networks are the backbone that power society and businesses, and enable generational technology shifts like the one we are currently experiencing in AI. I am excited to get started and look forward to continuing Nokia’s transformation journey to maximize its potential for growth and value creation.”
Hotard has over 25 years of experience with global technology companies and previously led Intel’s Data Center & AI Group.
Lundmark will step down on March 31 and continue to serve as an advisor to Hotard until the end of the year.
Christopher Luise appointed New Charter Technologies COO
Christopher Luise will take over as Chief Operation Officer for New Charter Technologies, a portfolio company of Palo Alto-based private equity firm Oval Partners.
Luise has previously served as CEO of ADNET Technologies, a New Charter Technologies company. He will have an expanded role and oversee operations for the entire national platform of MSPs and technology companies.
“I’m excited to step into this role and contribute to the ongoing success of New Charter Technologies,” said Luise. “New Charter’s model combines the power of a national platform with the agility of local expertise. It’s an approach that truly sets up apart, and I’m looking forward to working alongside this incredible team to build on that momentum.”
Carol Carpenter appointed Cohesity CMO
AI-powered data security company, Cohesity, recently announced Carol Carpenter would serve as the company’s new chief marketing officer.
Carpenter, who has over 20 years of industry experience, will lead all aspects of the global marketing team. She most recently served as Unity’s CMO.
“Cohesity empowers companies to navigate one of today’s most critical challenges– keeping their business resilient amid an increasingly complex cyber threat landscape,” said Carol Carpenter, CMO, Cohesity. “This is a truly exceptional company, and I’m thrilled to join this talented team as we enter a new era of protecting the world’s data.”
Forcepoint hires new Global Channel Chief
Timothy Puccio has been named the new Global Channel Chief at Forcepoint, and will be instrumental in strategically enhancing and growing Forcepoint’s global channel partner ecosystem, while executing its mission to deliver Data Security Everywhere.
Puccio previously served as SVP of Global Channel & Alliances as Delinea.
This move follows Forcepoint’s recent hiring of Ryan Windham as CEO. Windham previously served as chief customer and strategy officer. He replaced Manny Rivelo, who moved to ConnectWise.
Google Cloud hires Microsoft vet to lead new unit
Google Cloud is developing a new division and bringing in Hayete Gallot to run it, starting April 1. Channel programs led by Kevin Ichhpurani and Colleen Kapase will be folded into the new unit under Gallot.
Dubbed the Customer Experience group, the new unit is meant to help customers quickly move from idea to business value. Gallot will serve as president of the customer experience group.
Further, Gallot will oversee several other divisions, including strategic customer experiences, strategic accounts, global solutions and industries, global customer engineering, and Google Cloud consulting and learning services.
“I am honored to lead this newly formed organization and bring Google’s amazing innovation and AI leadership to customers around the world,” Gallot wrote in a LinkedIn post. “More than ever, in this era of AI, customers are looking for help to go from idea to business impact quickly. I look forward to bringing together the incredible talent across strategic accounts, customer engineering, consulting, partner, solutions, industries, and learning– to accelerate our customers’ adoption of AI and all of our solutions.”
Intelisys appoints new Sales VP, VAR leader
Intelisys has announced that Bob Farbak will be appointed as the new group vice president for regional and VAR sales.
This new group will lead the company’s value-added reseller segment, an area the organization is determined to strengthen. Meanwhile, Eddie Acosta will be promoted to vice president of sales, Christopher Whitaker will become its program director for mobility and IoT, and Bhu Virdi will become the director of cloud and AI programs.
Lumen to seek new Channel Leader
Recently, Breanna Kuhl, Lumen’s senior vice president of global partner solutions, was announced to be leaving the company. With Kuhl leaving on March 3, Lumen will seek a new channel leader to fill the position.
“Breanna Kuhl is leaving Lumen to pursue other opportunities. Tim Acker, VP of channel sales, will serve as interim leader of Lumen’s Global Partner organization,” the company said in a statement.
In the meantime, Kuhl’s direct reports will report to Acker while the company looks for a long-term replacement for the senior vice president of global partner solutions position.
In case you missed it, the first month of 2025 saw a flurry of leadership changes as well. Discover who made moves in January to stay the most up-to-date on leadership changes.