Former WatchGuard Technologies and SafeNet chief brings cybersecurity leadership, MSP expertise and a track record of scaling global security platforms.
Acronis has appointed Prakash Panjwani as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately, as the cybersecurity company looks to accelerate innovation, strengthen its managed service provider (MSP) ecosystem and expand its AI-native cyber protection platform. He succeeds Jan-Jaap “JJ” Jager, who will remain a shareholder in the company.
Warren Adelman, Chairperson of the Acronis Board of Directors, said Panjwani’s cybersecurity expertise, product leadership and go-to-market experience make him well suited to lead the company’s next phase of growth. He also credited Jager with advancing AI-based product innovation and driving partner growth.
Panjwani previously served as CEO of WatchGuard Technologies and SafeNet. During his decade at WatchGuard, he helped transform the company from a firewall-focused business into a broader cybersecurity platform incorporating AI-powered endpoint detection and response (EDR), extended detection and response (XDR), and managed detection and response (MDR).
“Acronis has an opportunity to accelerate innovation and deliver greater value to its partners through an integrated, AI-native cyber platform.”
At Acronis, Panjwani will focus on building on the company’s existing platform by bringing cybersecurity, data protection, infrastructure management and service automation together. His experience in channel-led business models and the MSP ecosystem is expected to support the company’s efforts to expand its partner network and drive sustainable growth.
“Acronis has built a unique AI-native cyber platform with an MSP-focused approach that is highly scalable,” said Prakash Panjwani, CEO of Acronis. He added that the company would focus on accelerating innovation and helping partners simplify operations while reducing the cost of delivering cyber protection to end customers.
Acronis serves more than 21,000 service providers, protecting over 750,000 businesses across 150 countries. The leadership change comes as demand for integrated cybersecurity and data protection capabilities creates opportunities for MSP-focused platforms.
