Michelle Hodges and Geoff Thompson Honored for Shaping Partner Strategy, Accelerating Innovation and Empowering Partner Success

News highlights:

• CRN has recognized two Barracuda executives – Michelle Hodges and Geoff Thompson – on its 2026 Channel Chiefs list for their leadership in shaping partner strategy, driving innovation and empowering partner success.
• Enhancements to the AI-powered BarracudaONE platform underscore Barracuda’s commitment to helping partners strengthen security, simplify operations and accelerate growth.

CAMPBELL, Calif.: #BarracudaONEplatform--Barracuda Networks, Inc., a leading cybersecurity company providing complete protection against complex threats for all size business, today announced that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has named two Barracuda executives to its prestigious 2026 CRN Channel Chiefs list. Michelle Hodges, Senior Vice President of Global Channels and Alliances, and Geoff Thompson, Vice President of Managed Services Strategy and Development, are honored for their leadership in shaping partner strategy, driving innovation and empowering partner success.

“Michelle and Geoff exemplify the forward-thinking leadership that is redefining what’s possible for our partners,” said Geoff Waters, Chief Revenue Officer, Barracuda. “Their efforts are transforming how our traditional partners and MSPs alike are delivering security – elevating service quality, expanding profitability and fueling the next era of innovation across our platform. Their impact is substantial, and their strategic vision is setting the direction for Barracuda’s channel growth and partner success well into the future.”

That vision is reflected in Barracuda’s ongoing investment in partner-centric innovation, most notably through the AI-powered BarracudaONE cybersecurity platform. BarracudaONE unifies layered defenses with advanced, intelligent detection and response to maximize protection and strengthen cyber resilience. The platform enables partners, MSPs and their customers to accelerate incident response, streamline configuration management and clearly demonstrate the value and impact of their security programs.

This integrated approach empowers partners and customers to reduce risk, respond faster to evolving threats and maintain a proactive, resilient security posture. Capabilities within BarracudaONE – including bulk remediation for email threats, PSA integrations for automated billing and invoicing, and simplified account management – are engineered specifically for MSPs, helping them secure multitenant environments more efficiently, optimize operations and drive scalable, profitable growth.

“Leaders recognized as CRN Channel Chiefs this year have demonstrated unwavering commitment to their partners and the broader IT channel. Their vision, passion and drive for innovation continue to shape the future of our industry. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and the positive impact they make every day,” said Jennifer Follett, Vice President, U.S. Content, Executive Editor, CRN.

CRN’s 2026 Channel Chiefs list is featured on CRN.com at www.CRN.com/ChannelChiefs.

About Barracuda

Barracuda is a leading global cybersecurity company providing complete protection against complex threats for all size business. Our AI-powered BarracudaONE platform secures email, data, applications, and networks with innovative solutions, managed XDR and a centralized dashboard to maximize protection and strengthen cyber resilience. Trusted by hundreds of thousands of IT professionals and managed service providers worldwide, Barracuda delivers powerful defenses that are easy to buy, deploy and use.

Barracuda Networks, Barracuda, BarracudaONE, and the Barracuda Networks logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Barracuda Networks, Inc. in the U.S., and other countries.

Fonte: Business Wire