Alert Logic has promoted CFO John Post to CEO, and hired multiple executives who previously held key roles at Carbonite and Webroot. The executive changes and updates come as Alert Logic strives to position itself as the top provider of SaaS-based MDR (managed detection and response) and SOAR (security orchestration and response) services.
Among the key questions: Will the updated Alert Logic executive team more aggressively embrace VARs and MSPs? Those types of channel partners have been crucially important to cloud backup provider Carbonite and security software provider Webroot -- both of which are now owned by OpenText.
The other variable to keep in mind: Private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe has owned Alert Logic since August 2013. New Alert Logic CEO John Post has extensive financial M&A experience -- which could help Welsh Carson if or when it decides to potentially sell Alert Logic, MSSP Alert believes.
Alert Logic: New CEO, Key Promotions and Noteworthy Hires
Among the multiple executive updates, let's start at the top -- where Alert Logic has named John Post to succeed Bob Lyons as CEO. Lyons is "departing to pursue new opportunities," and he was not quoted in Alert Logic's announcement about the CEO change.
Post joined Alert Logic as CFO in July 2020 after working for Carbonite and Webroot for more than a decade. Take a closer look at Alert Logic's executive team, and you'll notice multiple Carbonite and Webroot veterans have joined the MDR cybersecurity company in recent months. Examples include:
- Chad Bacher is senior VP and GM, global channels. Bacher joined Alert Logic in April 2020 after roles at Carbonite, Webroot and Malwarebytes.
- Jon Sachs has been promoted to CFO. Sachs joined Alert Logic in August 2020 as VP of finance. He briefly worked for Axcient and earlier spent 13 years at Webroot.
- Brett Stewart has been promoted to SVP of business operations. He joined the company in August 2020 as VP of IT and business operations. He previously spent nearly five years at Webroot.
Read between the lines, and Alert Logic's executive team now has extensive channel experience -- especially as it pertains to SMB security and MSP (managed service provider) partner programs. Indeed, cloud backup provider Carbonite and security software specialist Webroot have long-established VAR and MSP partner programs. (Note: OpenText acquired Carbonite and Webroot for $1.45 billion in December 2019.)
Alert Logic CEOs Under Private Equity Ownership
John Post is Alert Logic's third CEO since private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe acquired the business in August 2013. At the time of the 2013 deal, the private equity firm said Gray Hall would remain CEO of Alert Logic. But by March 2018, Bob Lyons succeeded Hall as CEO.
Fast forward to January 2021, and Post becomes CEO. In a prepared statement about the executive change, Welsh Carson General Partner Michael Donovan said:
“With its proven global managed detection and response leadership position and John’s track record of leading and scaling SaaS companies in the cybersecurity industry, Alert Logic is poised to be the de facto standard for organizations seeking an MDR provider."
Added Post:
“Alert Logic has a strong team, an industry-leading MDR platform, and exceptional traction in the MDR market. As CEO, I look forward to driving continued global expansion and delivering the most effective, affordable, and scalable solution for reducing the likelihood and impact of cybersecurity attacks.”
Neither executive specifically mentioned Alert Logic partners in their prepared statements.
Alert Logic: MDR Partner Program History
No doubt, Alert Logic has had a partner program in place for multiple years. Former Senior VP Christopher Rajiah -- now chief revenue officer at FIDEM Finance -- laid the groundwork for formalized MDR partner engagements during his time at Alert Logic (July 2018-October 2020). An initial Alert Logic partner program surfaced in October 2018, and an MDR-centric MSP program arrived in August 2020, among other key milestones at the time.
Alert Logic's noteworthy MSP, IT consulting and cloud partners include:
- Ensono;
- ePlus;
- Involta;
- IBM Cloud;
- Mission (a Top 250 Public Cloud MSP, according to ChannelE2E);
- Rackspace; and
- Spinnaker, among many others.
Fast forward to present day: The influx of Carbonite and Webroot talent could set the stage for some new or disruptive Alert Logic strategic alliances and channel relationships, MSSP Alert believes. Stay tuned for updates.
