WatchGuard® Technologies is reinforcing its focus on AI innovation to enhance cybersecurity solutions for managed service providers (MSPs) with the appointment of Vincent Hwang as Chief Product Officer.
Hwang will report directly to CEO Joe Smolarski, joining the company at a crucial juncture as it seeks to streamline operations and bolster security capabilities through advanced technologies. His role will involve spearheading WatchGuard’s platform evolution, simplifying enterprise-grade protection for midmarket partners, and enhancing AI-driven tools that enable MSPs to scale effectively.
Scaling Cybersecurity Products
CEO Joe Smolarski commented on Hwang’s arrival, saying, “Vince brings a rare combination of deep cybersecurity expertise and the ability to turn product strategy into real market momentum. 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.”
Before his tenure at Fortinet, Hwang served as Chief Product Officer at Bitdefender
Hwang’s career spans over two decades, marked by positions at several influential cybersecurity companies, where he has been instrumental in building and scaling security products. Previously leading the Cloud Security division at Fortinet, he helped achieve steady double-digit growth. His extensive background includes pivotal roles in developing early endpoint detection and response (EDR) capabilities at Sourcefire and Cisco, where he also contributed to advanced malware protection and Zero Trust strategies.
Early Endpoint Detection
Before his tenure at Fortinet, Hwang served as Chief Product Officer at Bitdefender. There, he led the global product organization, overseeing both product management and engineering.
Hwang expressed enthusiasm about his new role, highlighting the market’s current transformative phase: “WatchGuard has a unique opportunity to define what modern cybersecurity looks like for MSPs and their customers. 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.”
WatchGuard® Technologies, a global pioneer in unified cybersecurity for managed service providers (MSPs), announces the appointment of Vincent Hwang as Chief Product Officer, reporting to CEO, Joe Smolarski.
Hwang joins WatchGuard at a pivotal moment as the company sharpens its platform and AI innovation strategies to help MSPs simplify operations, reduce tool sprawl, and deliver stronger security outcomes at scale. With deep expertise across cloud, endpoint, network, and SecOps, he will lead the next phase of WatchGuard’s product evolution, focused on making enterprise-grade protection easier to deploy, manage, and monetise for partners serving the midmarket, while advancing AI-driven capabilities that help MSPs operate and scale more efficiently.
Scaling cybersecurity products
“Vince brings a rare combination of deep cybersecurity expertise and the ability to turn product strategy into real market momentum,” said Joe Smolarski, CEO at WatchGuard Technologies. “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 brings over two decades of experience as a visionary Cybersecurity product executive, building and scaling cybersecurity products across some of the industry’s most influential companies. He joins WatchGuard from Fortinet, where he led their Cloud Security business, delivering consistent double-digit growth.
Early endpoint detection
Prior to Fortinet, Hwang played a key role in advancing modern threat protection at Sourcefire and Cisco, where he contributed to the development of early endpoint detection and response (EDR) capabilities and helped shape Cisco’s advanced malware protection and Zero Trust strategies. Previously, he served as CPO at Bitdefender, leading their global product organization including product management and engineering.
“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.”
