AVG Hires Dell, PacketTrap MSP Expert Mike Byrne

AVG Technologies has hired Dell, Quest Software and PacketTrap MSP Veteran Mike Byrne. The move could be good news for MSPs running Managed Workplace, a remote monitoring and management (RMM) platform that AVG acquired when the company purchased Level Platforms earlier this year.

Byrne exited Dell when the company killed the PacketTrap MSP and PSA business around August 2013. While PacketTrap was growing, it was not large enough to give Dell’s overall software business a huge lift.

Byrne joins AVG as director of partner enablement. I’m curious to see if he helps AVG to closely aline the company’s security, mobile, cloud and managed services offering into an end-to-end platform for MSPs. 

Byrne certainly knows his way around the MSP market. Before helping to build PacketTrap, he held MSP- and SMB-related positions at GFI Software (which is now pursuing an IPO) and N-able Technologies (acquired by SolarWinds in mid-2013).

When AVG acquired Level Platforms, multiple executive changes occurred rather rapidly. Dan Wensley exited and Rob Rae moved to Datto, while AVG recruited N-able veteran Marco La Vecchia a VP of channels, North America. Now, Byrne joins the team. We’ll be watching his moves and potential impact closely.