Tristan Bateup. Image: SonicWall
Cybersecurity firm SonicWall plans to expand its presence in Ireland and has appointed Tristan Bateup as country manager.
Yesterday (2 July) SonicWall announced it had appointed Tristan Bateup as country manager for Ireland, building on the company’s long-established collaboration with distributors in the country as it looks to expand its presence and capabilities.
The cybersecurity firm plans to consolidate its channel strategy in Ireland and enable its enhanced MSSP programme to Ireland-based partners.
Bateup said joining the team is the right move at the right time. “Ireland is growing strongly and that brings security concerns,” he said.
“Recently, Irish businesses have had to deal with increasingly insidious threats from cybercriminals while adjusting to a 100pc remote workforce. SonicWall has evolved its boundless security offering to cover the skills and budget gaps caused by just such a scenario.”
Speaking to Siliconrepublic.com, Bateup added that recruitment could be on the cards in future. “As part of our investment in Ireland, we have already realigned people in the country to help develop the market. However, if we are able to maximise the opportunity the Irish market presents to us then there is of course a provision in place to expand our Irish team further.”
SonicWall is also expanding its partner base in order to refine its focus in the Irish market. The expansion in Ireland during Covid-19 is no accident, as it is intended to address and bridge the cybersecurity gap brought on by the crisis.
Bateup said the cybersecurity skills gap within the sector is a major concern. “[It’s] one you can’t fix without heavy investment and time. With more and more budgets being squeezed, this is a challenge facing many organisations of varying sizes.”
Speaking about the new appointment, SonicWall’s regional director for Northern Europe, Will Benton, said Bateup’s experience has already proved invaluable in establishing the company’s presence in Ireland.
“SonicWall places great importance in its partner relationships, and Tristan’s strong experience on both sides of the relationship contributes to bringing us even closer to our partner network in Ireland.”
