The capacity to propel innovation for technology products, solutions, and services is the distinguishing feature of CRN’s Top 25 Trailblazers of 2024.
In a progressively standardized product landscape, innovation stands out for organizations aiming to set themselves apart. However, innovation is not solely about constructing a superior gadget. When done correctly, innovation in the IT sector can include enhancements across hardware, software, applications, and procedures.
The Top 25 Trailblazers of 2024 recognize that such innovations are particularly crucial as the IT realm experiences a wave of transformation driven by businesses’ emphasis on and inquiries about pivotal elements like digital evolution, AI, 5G, and security.
These executives lead firms that are committed to innovation and have demonstrated their ability to also act as catalysts for change in various technologies.
They encompass leaders of enterprises engaged in cutting-edge hardware, software, and applications in sectors such as security, networking, storage, data security, AI, software, MSP platforms, and others.
Equally significant, these 25 enterprises are devoted to collaborating with indirect sales channels. These channels play a vital role in innovation as organizations depend on service providers, systems integrators, and MSPs to identify the optimal technologies that align with their requirements to revolutionize their infrastructure and operations.
Presented below is our compilation of the Top 25 IT Trailblazers of 2024.
Make sure to also explore the comprehensive list of CRN’s Top 100 Executives Of 2024.
25. Dave Baggett
Founder, CEO
Inky
Under Baggett’s leadership, email security specialist Inky has prioritized delivering unparalleled phishing protection, as evidenced by Inky’s ability to detect QR code phishing attacks prior to competing vendors’ email security tools.
24. Sumit Dhawan
CEO
Proofpoint
Since assuming the role of CEO at Proofpoint at the close of last year, Dhawan has swiftly accelerated the company’s initiatives around “human-centric” cybersecurity, including the recent introduction of new email security solutions leveraging GenAI-based detection for pre-delivery email analysis.
23. Vadim Vladimirskiy
Co-Founder, CEO
Nerdio
Despite the emphasis on AI, substantial partner collaboration is required to transition customers to the cloud and empower remote workforces. Vladimirskiy has spearheaded Nerdio in delivering products for managing Azure Virtual Desktop, making the budding company a favorite among Microsoft ISV partners and garnering significant support from solution providers.
22. Matthew and Peter Cassar
Co-Founders, Co-CEOs
Sherweb
The Cassar siblings persist at the forefront of transitioning MSPs to the cloud. Cloud-native Sherweb’s cloud management platform, featuring productivity tools, business applications, and security/compliance solutions, ensures that MSPs have access to cloud-based solutions akin to those of larger rivals.
21. Charles Giancarlo
CEO
Pure Storage
Under Giancarlo’s leadership, Pure Storage is demonstrating to the storage sector how AI can facilitate the migration of flash-based storage capabilities to the cloud, leveraging its Pure platform to seamlessly manage on-premises and cloud storage and ensuring secure storage management for all workloads, including AI.
14. Eva Chen
Co-Founder, CEO
Trend Micro
Guided by Chen, Trend Micro has strongly emphasized its Vision One platform for identifying, responding to, and preventing threats. Recently, they introduced their GenAI-driven tool for security analysts, Trend Companion, aiming to automate a substantial portion of threat investigations and risk evaluations.
13. Yusuf Mehdi
EVP, Consumer Chief Marketing Officer
Microsoft
Mehdi, a seasoned veteran of over three decades at Microsoft, brought Copilot+ PCs to market, some of the initial AI-powered PCs available. Microsoft’s partners are positioned to benefit significantly from a global device update – and local processing could be a key way AI gains wider acceptance.
12. Richard Marko
CEO
ESET
Under Marko’s guidance, ESET has been promoting innovation focused on partners for its endpoint security platform, while maintaining its dedication to providing on-premises solutions. Recent partner-focused initiatives have included the introduction of a new service designed to offer specialized assistance for targeted marketing campaigns.
11. Ed Meyercord
President, CEO
Extreme Networks
Meyercord, as the bold leader of Extreme for almost a decade, has transformed the company from a small networking player to one of the world’s principal network providers. He continues to broaden Extreme’s potential market by fostering innovation and integration among security, networking, and AI.
10. David Friend
CEO
Wasabi
Friend has been a pioneer in cloud storage for several decades, contributing to Wasabi’s current status as one of the top cloud storage providers. Wasabi supports an extensive array of data protection technologies, positioning it as a significant competitor to major hyperscalers in the cloud storage sector.
9. Jason Kimrey
VP, North America Commercial, Partner Sales
Intel
In his new role leading Intel’s North America commercial and partner sales, Kimrey is implementing a comprehensive strategy for collaborating with businesses, whether as end users or partners. This approach is facilitating faster solution sales for partners and facilitating customer enablement with Intel.
8. Michael Gold
CEO
Intermedia
Gold, the longstanding CEO of Intermedia, has championed a strategy placing partners at the forefront for its unified communications and cloud ventures. Under his leadership, the company has achieved over eightfold revenue growth, evolving from an email and web hosting provider to a leader in channel and cloud communications.
7. Fidelma Russo
EVP, GM, Hybrid Cloud, CTO
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Russo, a seasoned professional with four decades of industry experience, has introduced significant technological advancements that have transformed the industry landscape. Noteworthy among these are HPE’s easy-to-use HPE Private Cloud AI and the enhanced HPE virtualization capability. Expect Russo to continue delivering innovations, including new private cloud solutions for VDI and SAP.
6. Charles Liang
Founder, Chairman, President, CEO
Supermicro
While Nvidia’s GPUs are synonymous with AI, it is Supermicro, led by Liang, that has been instrumental in bringing these GPUs to market. Liang ensures that Supermicro, located just 10 miles from Nvidia, has early access to the latest Nvidia technology, making it a key supplier of AI servers.
5. Jeff Clarke
Vice Chairman, COO
Dell Technologies
Having spent 37 years collaborating with Michael Dell to establish Dell Technologies as a $88 billion technology giant, Clarke remains at the forefront of leading transformation. He now spearheads the GenAI initiative, which he regards as “more disruptive than anything I’ve witnessed in my four decades in the industry.”
4. Danny Jenkins
Co-Founder, CEO
ThreatLocker
Jenkins has been driving the evolution of ThreatLocker into a comprehensive endpoint security platform, introducing services such as managed detection and response. Recent expansions also encompass protection for Apple macOS devices.
3. Joe Levy
CEO
Sophos
In February, Levy stepped in as acting CEO, later securing the role permanently in May. He has led Sophos in an aggressive expansion drive into managed detection and response and other Security-as-a-Service solutions. Levy’s focus remains on empowering partners to enhance protection for under-resourced midmarket organizations against escalating cyber threats.
2. Rajiv Ramaswami
President, CEO
Nutanix
An adept CEO well-versed in channel partnerships, Ramaswami is strategically propelling significant channel sales growth with key alliances such as those made with Dell Technologies and Cisco. Ramaswami deserves more recognition for driving transformative innovation at Nutanix, exemplified by GPT In A Box 2.0 and Nutanix Kubernetes Platform.
1. Jeff Ready
CEO
Scale Computing
Scale Computing is witnessing a remarkable surge in its sales pipeline, securing new business and gaining trust and traction in the market with its cost-efficient and dependable edge architecture.
Ready, co-founder and CEO of the company, has set forth a straightforward business objective for this year – to position Scale Computing as the ultimate partner for its solution provider channel, aid customers in transitioning away from VMware due to Broadcom’s price hikes, and bolster Scale’s leadership in edge computing.
Addressing the audience at his annual Platform 2024 conference in Las Vegas, Ready articulated, “At Scale, we are building the future collectively with all of you.”
Earlier this year, Ready mentioned that the company’s new customer pipeline for the first quarter had escalated by 80 percent compared to the previous quarter, with a 35 percent year-over-year sales surge. He anticipated that Scale Computing is on track to achieve over 50 percent growth this year.
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