Webroot has named Cisco Systems veteran Mike Potts as its next CEO, effective September 25. Potts succeeds Dick Williams, who will retire as CEO and continue as a member of the company’s board, Webroot confirmed.
In an interview with ChannelE2E, Williams said he's looking forward to spending more time with his family. Williams approached the board about his retirement plans several months ago, and the hunt for a successor was on.
The pursuit initially identified 50 candidates. The field was narrowed down to a handful of excellent choices, Williams said, but Potts stood out based on his experience in the security market; leading growth companies; and his cultural fit with Webroot.
About New Webroot CEO Mike Potts
Indeed, Potts' values and beliefs align with Webroot's four core values, Williams said, noting the company's focus on Integrity, Customer Success, the Continual Pursuit of Excellence; and Innovation.
Potts most recently served as an integration executive in Cisco's security business group, following the acquisition of Lancope in 2015. As president and CEO of Lancope, Potts drove 600 percent growth in five years. Prior to Lancope, he was president and CEO of AirDefense, which generated 300 percent growth in wireless security during his leadership tenture.
Potts joins Webroot during a healthy time for the company and its channel partners. Webroot has experienced 14 consecutive quarters of double-digit growth. Much of the growth involved MSP engagements. And more recently, Webroot has expanded beyond traditional endpoint security to more of a security platform provider.
Williams described the MSP strategy's history and Webroot's evolution into a platform provider during the ChannelE2E briefing yesterday. We'll share more details soon.
