Barracuda’s Channel Chiefs on working with partners, innovations, and more

We are excited to share that CRN has named Barracuda’s Patrick O’Donnell, senior vice president of Americas sales, and Greg Saenz, vice president of channels for the Americas, to its prestigious list of 2025 Channel Chiefs. The Channel Chiefs list, which is released annually by CRN, showcases the top leaders throughout the IT channel ecosystem who work tirelessly to ensure mutual success with their partners and customers.

“This year’s honorees exemplify dedication, innovation, and leadership that supports solution provider success and fosters growth across the channel,” said Jennifer Follett, VP, U.S. Content, and Executive Editor, CRN, at The Channel Company. “Each of these exceptional leaders has made a lasting channel impact by championing partnerships and designing creative strategies that get results. They’ve set a high bar in the channel, and we’re thrilled to recognize their standout achievements.”

Here are a few of the key insights Patrick and Greg shared about their channel philosophy, advice for partners, and more.

Patrick O’Donnell, Senior Vice President, Sales, Americas

What is your channel philosophy?

My personal channel philosophy is grounded in mutual respect, trust, and integrity with our channel partners. Barracuda shares these values, and since its founding 21 years ago, the company has been dedicated to being 100% channel-focused and partner-centric. All the positive outcomes stem from these core principles.

What is your favorite thing about working in the channel?

My favorite aspect of the channel is collaborating with partners to help them achieve their business goals and aspirations. One shared priority is our strong commitment to protecting clients from harmful threats and the increasing risks of cyberattacks. There’s nothing better in the business we are in!

What will be the biggest challenges facing partners in 2025?

The current business landscape is increasingly complex, characterized by heightened competition due to a rise in various threats and an expanding range of products and services. Channel partners face competition not only from established rival firms but also from startups and private equity-backed companies seeking to grow. In addition to economic pressures, partners are challenged with retaining talent, acquiring new customers, and maintaining profit margins. To address these challenges, it is critical for them to invest in employee training and career development while also balancing their go-to-market strategies with investments in both sales and marketing.

Greg Saenz, Vice President of Channels for the Americas

What is your channel philosophy?

My personal philosophy regarding the channel is that it is a shared responsibility across our organization. It has the potential to significantly enhance our business and benefit our customers. However, to fully leverage this opportunity, it is essential for everyone to be committed to building and maintaining the relationship.

What is your favorite thing about working in the channel?

My favorite aspect of being in the channel is the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of businesses. I enjoy working with business owners who genuinely care about their customers and playing a role in helping them tackle the challenges they face in securing their businesses.

In what area(s) would you most like to see your channel partners invest in 2025?

Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and are affecting organizations of all sizes. A notable trend is the shift toward security platforms, as relying solely on various best-of-breed solutions can be overly complicated. In 2025, channel partners should prioritize investing in solutions that are easy for themselves and their customers to purchase, deploy, and use. This includes XDR solutions. MSPs focused on protecting their risk-averse clients may fall behind the competition if they do not leverage XDR to safeguard their customers effectively.

What’s the single most innovative initiative that you and your team were responsible in 2024? What impact did it have on Barracuda’s partner community?

The launch of the Barracuda Partner Sales Engineer Community. This initiative aims to enhance productivity, drive revenue, and support the professional development of our partners' sales engineers. By providing access to certifications, training, and tools, we enable them to showcase Barracuda products effectively. We believe that our shared success with partners is built on winning the hearts and minds of their technical contacts. Through this program, we empower our partners’ sales engineers with the resources they need to thoroughly understand our technology and confidently recommend Barracuda solutions to their customers.