WatchGuard Technologies Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Prakash Panjwani will transition out of his operational role, continuing to serve on the Board of Directors and as a strategic advisor to the company. Vats Srivatsan, a cybersecurity industry veteran and Operating Partner at Vector Capital, has been named Interim CEO effective May 14, 2025, bringing decades of global leadership and domain expertise to guide the company forward. He is also joining WatchGuard’s Board of Directors.
“Prakash’s leadership over the past decade has been instrumental in transforming WatchGuard into a leading cybersecurity platform company. Few leaders leave the kind of legacy he has ‒ shaping not only the company’s strategy, but also producing consistent strong performance and operational excellence,” said Alex Slusky, founding partner and managing director of Vector Capital, WatchGuard’s majority owner. “We are pleased to have him continue as a board member and are deeply grateful for his vision, discipline, and unwavering commitment to WatchGuard’s partners, customers, and employees.”
During his tenure, Prakash Panjwani led WatchGuard through one of the most significant periods of growth and transformation in the company’s history. He oversaw six strategic acquisitions that expanded the company’s capabilities across endpoint protection, identity, and managed detection and response. During his time as CEO, WatchGuard more than tripled its annual recurring revenue and grew its partner ecosystem from thousands to tens of thousands. The global employee base also grew threefold, reflecting sustained investment in people, culture, and scale.
“Leading WatchGuard has been the most rewarding experience of my professional career,” said Prakash Panjwani, CEO of WatchGuard. “Together with our exceptional employees and committed partners, we’ve built something truly special ‒ a company that delivers real security for the real world. I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done, and I’m excited to continue supporting the team as a board member and strategic advisor.”
A Strategic Interim Leader
With more than 30 years of experience leading growth, transformation, and innovation across cybersecurity, cloud, and enterprise technology, Vats Srivatsan brings the right expertise at the right time for WatchGuard. His proven track record of scaling global businesses, expanding platforms, and applying emerging technologies like AI aligns closely with WatchGuard’s long-term strategy and partner-first mission.
“Vats brings a rare combination of strategic thinking, operational excellence, and deep industry insight,” said Sandy Gill, managing director at Vector Capital. “He’s led transformative growth at some of the world’s most respected technology and cybersecurity companies, and we’re confident he will help WatchGuard continue executing on its vision. Backed by a seasoned executive team, the company is well-positioned to maintain strong momentum, with innovation, platform development, and partner enablement remaining top priorities.”
Most recently, Vats Srivatsan helped accelerate profitable growth through strategic partnerships and operational rigor at SentinelOne. Prior to that, he played a central role in transforming Palo Alto Networks into a multi-platform cybersecurity leader, driving 10 acquisitions in under three years. Earlier in his career, he was instrumental in scaling Google Cloud’s business from the ground up ‒ building its global commercial engine and founding the Advanced Solutions Lab to help organizations harness the power of AI and machine learning.
“I’m honored and excited to join WatchGuard as Interim CEO and Board member. I believe WatchGuard’s MSP-focused platform, strong culture, and deep channel partnerships uniquely position the company to protect businesses around the world,” said Vats Srivatsan. “I look forward to working with the entire WatchGuard team and our partner ecosystem to execute on our mission of simplifying cybersecurity and making it accessible to every organization.”
