Focus on Falco, AI, and Fast Threat Response

Sysdig landed the ex-IronNet co-CEO as its new leader and has tasked him with increasing the cloud security vendor’s footprint in the enterprise and mid-market segments.

See Also: Revealing the Threat Landscape: 2024 Elastic Global Threat Report

The San Francisco-based company directed Bill Welch to expand Sysdig’s go-to-market strategy through partnerships and channel collaborations, using both global systems integrators like IBM as well as resellers. Welch will replace Suresh Vasudevan, the former Nimble Storage president and CEO who has led Sysdig since April 2018 and will join the company’s board of directors as an independent advisor (see: Sysdig CEO on How Open Source Fuels Cloud, Container Defense).

“We’re in very early days right now for cloud security,” Welch told Information Security Media Group. “The runway is very long for all of us. I think that we will continue to innovate. I believe that we’re going to continue to detect and respond to these threats in seconds. That’s what they need, and we’re the only company that can do it.”

What Drew Bill Welch to Sysdig

Welch spent nearly two years as Talkdesk’s president and COO after three-and-a-half years as co-CEO at IronNet, where his departure was “mutually agreed with the board” in September 2022 as a cost-cutting move amid a second round of layoffs. Prior to that, Welch spent less than a year as president and COO of Duo Security, four years as COO of Zscaler, and two years leading HP’s Americas software business (see: IronNet Headed for Crash Amid Layoffs and Co-CEO Exit).

Welch said he accepted the role because Sysdig uniquely addresses current cybersecurity demands, with its ability to fuse cloud-native solutions, AI and open-source technology into a single platform resonating with market needs. He views Sysdig as an opportunity to leverage his operator experience in scaling the business while supporting a technology that is already trusted by vendors including AWS, Google and Apple.

“This is not about, ‘Hey, I can tell you that there’s a crime going on in this ZIP code,'” Welch said. “We can actually tell you the crime is going on at what house, in what room and where the robber put the money into what pocket. That’s the level of detail that we’re able to give to our security practitioners in a quick manner, as opposed to taking too much time.”

Welch’s first day at Sysdig was Nov. 18, and he plans to spend his first 90 days engaging with prospects, customers, partners and employees about why they chose Sysdig, what value they derive, and how the company can improve. This data-driven approach will guide enhancements to the company’s offerings and operational strategies, with Welch also addressing internal alignment to maximize customer value.

“What I want to learn is the why,” Welch said. “Number one is, ‘Why did you move?’ I want to learn, ‘What is the value that we are bringing to you?’ and then ‘What are the things that we can be doing better as we continue to evolve as the CNAPP leader in the industry?'”

What Sets Sysdig’s Approach to Cloud Security Apart

Sysdig distinguishes itself from rivals through its Falco open-source platform, AI-driven technology that enhances detection and response capabilities and enables detailed and actionable insights, and cloud-native solutions that are optimized for modern infrastructures. The company’s ability to deliver granular, real-time insights sets it apart from competitive, enabling customers to act quickly in addressing threats.

Channel partnerships, notably with global systems integrators and managed security service providers, present a scalable way to penetrate both enterprise and smaller market segments, Welch said. Sysdig remains committed to its core customer base of Fortune 500 and Global 2000 organizations, while adjustments in pricing and packaging will be made to cater to the unique needs of SMBs, Welch said.

“We have the opportunity to unlock different flavors of the channel, whether it’s our global systems integrators or resellers,” Welch said. “One of our largest customers and partners is IBM. And IBM really is another great platform for us to not only have internal use conversations, but external reseller dialogue around the ability to offer a differentiated service in the market.”

Welch stressed the importance of tracking key performance metrics to ensure Sysdig’s operational resilience and long-term sustainability, with net revenue retention, gross revenue retention and customer acquisition cost being central to his strategy. While he acknowledged the possibility of an IPO in the future, he emphasized the importance of creating a sustainable, high-performing business first.

“We will certainly look to go to profitability as quickly as we can, so our destiny is in our own hands,” Welch said. “The good news is we have plenty of cash on the balance sheet. We have plenty of opportunity to turn the dial as we need. An IPO is a fundraising event. If it comes upon us, great, but we will make sure that we run a company. And when we’re ready, then we will make that decision.”