Sydney, Australia – WatchGuard Technologies has appointed Vincent Hwang as its new Chief Product Officer, as the cybersecurity company seeks to advance its platform strategy and expand AI-driven capabilities for managed service providers (MSPs).
Hwang will report to Chief Executive Officer Joe Smolarski and oversee the company’s product strategy, with a focus on helping MSPs simplify operations, reduce the number of security tools they manage, and improve security outcomes for midmarket customers.
According to WatchGuard, Hwang will lead the next phase of the company’s product development, drawing on his experience across cloud security, endpoint protection, network security, and security operations (SecOps). The company said the strategy will focus on making enterprise-grade cybersecurity products easier for partners to deploy, manage, and commercialise, while incorporating AI-driven capabilities intended to improve operational efficiency for MSPs.
“Vince brings a rare combination of deep cybersecurity expertise and the ability to turn product strategy into real market momentum,” said Joe. “He understands our partners, knows how to build platforms that align with how they operate, and has consistently delivered growth by connecting innovation with real-world outcomes. That’s exactly what WatchGuard needs in this next phase of growth.”
Hwang joins WatchGuard after serving at Fortinet, where he led the company’s cloud security business. Prior to that, he held product leadership roles at Sourcefire and Cisco, contributing to the development of endpoint detection and response (EDR) technologies as well as Cisco’s advanced malware protection and Zero Trust initiatives. He also previously served as chief product officer at Bitdefender, where he led the company’s global product management and engineering organisation.
Commenting on his appointment, Hwang said the cybersecurity market is undergoing a period of consolidation as MSPs seek platforms that simplify operations while addressing increasingly complex threats.
“WatchGuard has a unique opportunity to define what modern cybersecurity looks like for MSPs and their customers,” said Hwang. “The market is at an inflection point: partners are consolidating vendors and looking for platforms that simplify operations while keeping pace with evolving threats. I’m excited to build on WatchGuard’s strong foundation and accelerate a product strategy that delivers both operational efficiency and meaningful security outcomes.”
