The cybersecurity industry is experiencing unprecedented growth, driven by the increasing need for robust security solutions in an ever-evolving threat landscape. At the forefront of this transformation is Sophos, known for its comprehensive range of offerings that cater to diverse business needs. A significant part of Sophos's success can be attributed to its dedicated channel partners, who play a crucial role in delivering these solutions to customers and driving the company's expansion. In an exclusive interview, Rajeev Ranjan, Editor, Digital Terminal, spoke with Sunil Sharma, VP of Sales, India & SAARC, Sophos. They discussed the company's impressive growth trajectory, the vital contributions of channel partners, strategic initiatives, and insights into the future of cybersecurity.
Rajeev: Sophos has achieved remarkable growth under your leadership, and this year has been particularly impressive. How do you perceive the role of your team in driving this success?
Sunil: I would like to give full credit to my team for our consistent double-digit growth year after year. We’ve been honored as "Region of the Year" for the past four years and have earned the title of "Region of the Quarter" for 17 consecutive quarters. This success wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our internal team, including sales, pre-sales, and support, as well as the incredible contributions from our partners. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of them—both Sophos employees and our partners.
Rajeev: Sophos is running several awareness campaigns. How do these support your partners, and what’s your message for them regarding participation?
Sunil: Our awareness campaigns, which include webinars, partner conferences, and customer events, are specifically designed to help our customers protect their valuable data from cybercriminals. Awareness is key. If our partners aren't aware of their customers' pain points or if customers are unaware of the risks they face, it becomes challenging to make progress. That’s why we invest in these enabling programs for our partners—to empower them, ensure the smooth deployment of solutions at customer sites, and help them effectively understand and address their customers' security needs. Our ultimate goal is to provide the right cybersecurity solutions and position our partners as trusted advisors to their customers.
Rajeev: With the growing buzz around AI, how do you see it affecting CIOs in terms of cybersecurity solutions—does it help or disrupt?
Sunil: AI is a tremendous asset. Sophos integrated AI into our solutions nine years ago, and now it's embedded in everything we offer. CIOs should embrace AI rather than worry about it. With the vast amounts of data available, deriving meaningful insights without AI is nearly impossible. I believe CIOs are welcoming AI in both cybersecurity and data mining for marketing and sales, as it's becoming increasingly vital across all sectors.
Rajeev: What is your key message to your extensive network of channel partners?
Sunil: My message to our partners is simple: today, we have a tremendous opportunity in the cybersecurity space with Sophos. We don’t just offer a single product; we provide comprehensive end-to-end cybersecurity solutions. Partners can adopt a "land and expand" strategy, starting with one product for a customer and then expanding by offering additional solutions. Currently, our partners have access to over 15 different cybersecurity solutions from Sophos, making this an exciting time for them to grow their business.
Rajeev: What has been the key to Sophos's consistent growth over the years, and what role do you see for your team and partners in this success?
Sunil: Growth remains our primary focus at Sophos, and I’m excited to report that we’ve maintained consistent growth over the past 13 years. While I can’t share specific revenue numbers, we are among the top three cybersecurity leaders in India, both in product offerings and profitability. I encourage our team and partners to continue collaborating, providing exceptional cybersecurity solutions to safeguard our customers and work towards a cybercriminal-free landscape.
Watch the complete interview here
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