Endpoint protection and security software provider CrowdStrike has hired CyberArk veteran Marianne Budnik as chief marketing officer (CMO). Budnik will be responsible for directing messaging, go-to-market strategies, demand generation and field sales support for CrowdStrike's global product, customer and partner marketing teams.
Budnik has more than 25 years of experience. In addition to her time at CyberArk, she serves on the board of directors at Cerence, an automotive voice and artificial intelligence innovation company.
Budnik has developed, led and scaled global marketing initiatives at both high-growth startups and Fortune 500 companies, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said. Indeed, Budnik has held key posts at SimpliVity (acquired by HPE), CA Technologies and EMC, among others, according to her LinkedIn bio.
CrowdStrike Business and Partner Momentum
CrowdStrike had momentum ahead of Budnik's arrival. For instance, revenue surged 86 percent in the company's Q3 of fiscal 2021, according to a December 2020 earnings statement.
Most of CrowdStrike's customer wins are partner-led deals, Kurtz said in the company's 3Q21 earnings call. Kurtz noted that CrowdStrike has boosted its sales via the Amazon Web Services (AWS) marketplace and other online destinations as well.
CrowdStrike delivers a cloud-based endpoint protection platform that uses AI to safeguard organizations against cyberattacks and data breaches, the company indicated. The company also provides a partner program that lets MSPs and MSSPs integrate its platform into their offerings.
