Netwrix appoints Google veteran Tony Orlando as CRO

Netwrix has appointed former Google executive Tony Orlando as Chief Revenue Officer to lead its global revenue organisation.

Orlando joins the cybersecurity supplier from Google, where he was a Managing Director leading go-to-market teams across cloud, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Earlier, he was Senior Vice President of Global Sales at Quest Software and held Chief Revenue Officer roles at Delphix and 3Pillar Global, as well as senior leadership positions at CA Technologies and NetApp.

The appointment comes as Netwrix expands through channel partners and managed service providers, while positioning its identity and data security products around business demand shaped by AI. Orlando's remit includes expanding market reach and accelerating partner-led growth.

Netwrix sells software designed to control access to sensitive systems and data. It says more than 13,000 organisations use its products, including nearly a quarter of the Fortune 500.

AI pressure

Netwrix linked the hire to rising concern about how AI systems interact with corporate data, identities and access controls. Its latest data and identity security report, based on a survey of 2,317 IT and security professionals, found that organisations where AI had significantly increased the number of identities requiring access reported a 43% breach rate over the past year, compared with 11% where it had not.

The research also found that 74% of organisations lack a unified view of sensitive data and the identities that can access it. Only 19% fully govern non-human identities such as service accounts and AI agents.

Grady Summers, Chief Executive Officer of Netwrix, said the company sees a growing need for security tools that combine identity and data oversight.

"AI is changing how organizations think about security, but the fundamental questions remain: who has access to what data, and whether that access is appropriate. Netwrix has spent the last several years innovating to bring identity and data security together to address emerging risks, including those introduced by agentic AI," said Grady Summers, Chief Executive Officer of Netwrix.

"We have a tremendous opportunity ahead of us, and Tony brings the experience to help us capitalize on it. He knows how to build disciplined, global revenue organizations, strengthen partner relationships, and turn innovation into sustained growth," Summers added.

Channel focus

Orlando's background suggests Netwrix is putting significant emphasis on partner sales and indirect routes to market. His past roles included oversight of enterprise sales, channels and strategic alliances, and partner-led growth is a central part of his brief.

That focus reflects a broader shift in cybersecurity sales, with vendors increasingly relying on distributors, resellers and service providers to reach customers managing more fragmented IT estates and a growing mix of human and machine identities. For identity and data security suppliers, it also means convincing partners that AI-related risks can be addressed alongside established access governance and protection requirements.

Netwrix has been developing its 1Secure software-as-a-service platform as a combined identity and data security offering. It says the platform is designed to show where data is stored, who can access it and how that access is governed across hybrid and AI-driven environments.

Orlando said pressure on corporate security teams is increasing as AI use exposes weaknesses in existing controls.

"AI is exposing gaps in data and identity security, which is putting unsustainable pressure on stretched IT and security teams," said Tony Orlando, Chief Revenue Officer of Netwrix.

"I'm excited to join Netwrix to help customers protect their data and simplify their approach to AI security," Orlando added.