WatchGuard appoints Vincent Hwang as Chief Product Officer

WatchGuard has appointed Vincent Hwang as Chief Product Officer. He joins the cybersecurity company from Fortinet.

Hwang will report to Chief Executive Officer Joe Smolarski and lead product strategy. He will oversee the company's platform approach and use of artificial intelligence across its security portfolio as managed service providers seek to reduce the number of tools they use.

He brings more than two decades of experience in cloud security, endpoint protection, and Zero Trust. Before joining WatchGuard, Hwang led Fortinet's cloud security business, delivering consistent double-digit growth.

Earlier in his career, he held senior product roles at Sourcefire and Cisco, where he worked on early endpoint detection and response products and contributed to Cisco's advanced malware protection and Zero Trust strategy.

He also served as Chief Product Officer at Bitdefender, leading the global product organisation across product management and engineering.

The hire comes as WatchGuard targets managed service providers, an increasingly important channel in the cybersecurity market. Vendors have been expanding their product sets through single platforms as service providers look for simpler ways to manage security for mid-market customers.

WatchGuard works with more than 25,000 managed service providers serving over 1.5 million customers worldwide. Its business focuses on network, endpoint, and identity security products aimed at partners delivering services at scale.

Smolarski tied the appointment to the company's next phase of product development. "Vince brings a rare combination of deep cybersecurity expertise and the ability to turn product strategy into real market momentum," said Joe Smolarski, Chief Executive Officer of WatchGuard.

"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."

For WatchGuard, appointing a product chief with experience across several large security vendors signals a push to sharpen its position in a crowded market. Security companies are increasingly seeking executives who can combine technical product knowledge with a clear understanding of how managed service providers buy, deploy, and support software.

That trend has become more pronounced as cyber threats grow more complex and customers ask providers to manage a wider range of security functions. In response, vendors have been presenting broader, integrated product lines rather than disconnected point tools.

Hwang said the shift among partners towards vendor consolidation created an opening for the company. "WatchGuard has a unique opportunity to define what modern cybersecurity looks like for MSPs and their customers," said Vincent Hwang, Chief Product Officer of WatchGuard.

"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."