Jason Magee will step down as ConnectWise CEO, the company announced today, and Manny Rivelo will take over in the chief executive officer role. Rivelo was previously the CEO of the security software company Forcepoint.
“It has been an incredible honor to lead ConnectWise during this transformative period," Magee said in a statement. "I am proud of what our team has accomplished — scaling the business, expanding our product portfolio and deepening our commitment to our partners. With a solid foundation now in place, I believe this is the right time for me to step down and hand over the reins to a leader who can guide ConnectWise through its next phase of growth."
Magee will still be on board when ConnectWise hosts its IT Nation Connect in November, but no firm date was announced for his departure or for when Rivelo will officially take over. However, the company did say that Rivelo and Magee will work closely to ensure a smooth transition.
Industry Peers on Magee's Impact
“Congrats to Jason on this next chapter in his career, and kudos to all the hard work he’s put in to help shape the success of our industry,” said John Pagliuca, N-able president and CEO. “He definitely understands the importance of community, and that's a legacy we can all benefit from. At the same time, MSPs are at the center of a huge amount of change, which can be exciting but also, at times, a bit overwhelming. It’s more important than ever for them to focus on the long game and choose their vendors and other key partners with that in mind.”
Robin Ody, principal analyst at Canalys, said Magee's leadership helped guide the company through many milestones and contributed to its growth, even at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Jason Magee’s stewardship saw the acquisition of Continuum, managed the company through massive growth and a pandemic, and kickstarted the industry’s move toward the RMM-based platform and ecosystem play," Ody said. "The latest purchase of hot properties like Axcient and SkyKick were some of the final pieces in the puzzle. He has helped build ConnectWise into a behemoth, and managing it hasn’t always been smooth. Still, as it moves toward a likely IPO in the near future, its investors have seen him build the market share leader in a hugely competitive space."
Meet ConnectWise's New CEO, Manny Rivelo
ConnectWise's new CEO Manny Rivelo, who has already been placed on ConnectWise's leadership page in the CEO role, has been in the industry for more than 30 years and has held leadership roles with F5 and Cisco before his role at Forcepoint. Rivelo stepped down from his position in July and was succeeded by chief customer and strategy officer Ryan Windham.
He left his role in August 2024 as senior operating partner with global investment firm Francisco Partners, which owns Forcepoint and he also serves on the board of Outdoorsy, a peer-to-peer marketplace for RVs.
“I am thrilled to join ConnectWise at such an exciting time in its journey,” said Rivelo in a statement. “Jason has done a phenomenal job positioning ConnectWise as a market leader, and I am eager to build on that success. The rise of AI presents a game-changing opportunity for MSPs and their SMB clients. Through our purpose-built platform and industry-leading community, ConnectWise is equipping MSPs with the tools they need to thrive in an evolving market.”
In the statement, ConnectWise thanked Magee for shepherding the company to major revenue growth, including increasing revenue by 300% and profitability by 500%.
“Since becoming CEO in 2019, Magee has spearheaded the company’s expansion into new markets and the development of cutting-edge solutions for MSPs, all while strengthening ConnectWise’s position as an industry leader in cybersecurity,” the company wrote.
