Barracuda names Michelle Hodges as head of global channels

Barracuda Networks has appointed Michelle Hodges as Senior Vice President of Global Channels and Alliances.

In her new position, Hodges will be responsible for the company's global channel strategy, aiming to drive expansion and strengthen engagement across Barracuda's partner ecosystem.

Hodges has more than 20 years of experience within the technology sector, particularly in transforming partner programmes for a range of technology vendors. She previously served as Senior Vice President of Global Channels and Alliances at Ivanti and has held senior roles at companies including GitLab, Gigamon, Riverbed, Apptio, Intel, VMware, SAP, and Microsoft.

Her work in the field has been recognised by industry awards, such as being named a CRN Channel Chief, inclusion in CRN's Power 100 Women of the Channel, and designation as a Channel Futures Top Cybersecurity Leader.

With this appointment, Barracuda aims to build upon its ongoing Partner Success Programme and enhance its go-to-market execution efforts globally. Geoff Waters, Chief Revenue Officer at Barracuda Networks, commented, "Michelle's appointment reflects Barracuda's deep commitment to empowering our partners with innovative solutions and managed security services that are easy to buy, deploy and use. Her experience and leadership will be instrumental in advancing the Barracuda Partner Success Program, enhancing our go-to-market execution and accelerating growth."

Dan McLean, Country Manager for Barracuda Networks in Australia and New Zealand, also commented on Hodges' appointment, stating, "I'm excited to have a leader with Michelle's depth of experience joining Barracuda. I look forward to introducing her to our ANZ partners and building on the momentum we're seeing across the region."

Hodges holds a Master of Business Administration in International Management and a Master of Arts in International Policy Studies from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. She also has a Bachelor of Arts in French Literature and Philosophy from Whittier College.

Discussing her new role, Hodges said, "Barracuda's channel-first approach and outstanding reputation for delivering industry-leading solutions make it a trusted leader in the market. I look forward to working with our partners to extend our global reach, help customers defend against today's evolving threat landscape and drive sustainable, mutual growth and value."

Barracuda Networks reports that its platform protects email, data, applications, and networks, supporting hundreds of thousands of IT professionals and managed service providers worldwide.