Sophos, a global leader in advanced cybersecurity solutions, has announced the appointment of Chris Bell as Senior Vice President of Global Channel, Alliances, and Corporate Development.
In this pivotal role, Bell will lead the evolution of Sophos’ global channel strategy, reinforcing the company’s strong commitment to a channel-first approach and delivering an exceptional partner experience.
Bell brings more than two decades of experience in the technology industry, including nearly ten years in cybersecurity and channel leadership.
He joins Sophos following the company’s acquisition of Secureworks, where he served as Chief Strategy Officer, overseeing long-term vision, corporate development, and strategic partnerships.
At Sophos, Bell will focus on building and executing a partner strategy designed to expand market reach, empower partners, and drive sustainable growth.
His priorities will include streamlining the partner experience to enable faster, more efficient collaboration; advancing Sophos’ offerings for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs); enhancing partner enablement through persona-based and fast-track training programs; and broadening Sophos’ market footprint through technology alliances, marketplaces, and cyber insurance networks.
The unified portfolio of Sophos and Secureworks is expected to deliver best-in-class cybersecurity solutions that strengthen the security posture of businesses from commercial to enterprise levels.
“Partners need adaptable strategies that prioritize flexibility to stay ahead of the increasingly complex threat landscape,” said Bell.
“Unifying Sophos’ and Secureworks’ portfolios presents a unique opportunity to accelerate a future-ready channel program that arms partners with the technology, services, insights, and enablement needed to protect customers and fuel long-term growth.”
Sophos is focused on aligning more closely with partner needs by fostering an open ecosystem and investing in initiatives that support partners throughout the customer lifecycle—from strategy to deployment.
This includes resources such as Sophos Partner Care, a 24/7 support team assisting with quoting, licensing, and account services, and Sophos Customer Success, which provides a dedicated point of contact for onboarding, retention, and growth.
Torjus Gylstorff, Chief Revenue Officer at Sophos, praised the appointment, stating, “Evolving our channel business to consistently deliver excellent customer outcomes is at the core of our partner go-to-market approach. We are thrilled to have Chris’ strategic vision and deep channel and cybersecurity expertise to shape Sophos’ channel strategy and build programs to empower partners to scale their security business.”
Sophos has cemented its reputation as a leader in partner-driven cybersecurity. Following its acquisition of Secureworks, the company has become the leading pure-play vendor of managed detection and response services, safeguarding over 28,000 customers globally.
Its continued emphasis on partner-centric innovation and feedback integration has earned it multiple accolades, including recognition as a Champion in the 2025 Canalys Global Cybersecurity Leadership Matrix and a 5-Star Award in the 2025 CRN Partner Program Guide—an honor it has received for 12 consecutive years.
With Bell at the helm of its global channel efforts, Sophos is poised to further empower its partner network and accelerate its mission of delivering world-class security outcomes across the globe.
