Datto Hires VP of Marketing; Preps 2013 BDR Storage Initiatives

Datto, the backup and disaster recovery (BDR) company focused on MSPs, has hired Dana Prestigiacomo as its VP of marketing, MSPmentor has confirmed. This is one of several recent and forthcoming executive moves that we are tracking closely. So what attracted Prestigiacomo to Datto, and what are her near-term and long-term priorities? She shared some answers with me earlier today. Here’s a recap.

Prestigiacomo is a veteran of Acronis, CA Technologies, IBM and IntraLinks. That background represents a mix of small growth, midsize and massive technology companies — a key requirement as Datto seeks to manage and potentially accelerate its growth. (CEO Austin McChord told MSPmentor in September 2012 that Datto expects to grow about 300 percent in 2012.)

Talent Acquisition: LinkedIn Scores

Datto discovered Prestigiacomo through a LinkedIn search. Discussions between the company and the marketing expert begin in November or so, and her first day on the job was Dec. 10. So what attracted her to Datto?

Prestigiacomo says: “I was impressed with Datto’s track record for extremely high growth. The company is moving super-fast. The other part was the management team. Austin and many others represent an amazing blend of extremely smart people, entrepreneurial people and experienced people. Some businesses have folks who are great at running startups. Some have executives who have been involved in larger companies. This management team has both.”

Technology also attracted Prestigiacomo to Datto. As she studied up on the company, Prestigiacomo became convinced that Datto’s technology was well-respected by MSPs and channel partners.

Also of note: Prestigiacomo was impressed with Datto’s culture, which is committed to information sharing. Within the headquarter offices, for instance, all employees have access to real-time sales and partner support data — which is displayed on phone handsets and wall-mounted digital displays.

Key Priorities

On the marketing front, Prestigiacomo wants to:

For the next two or three weeks, Prestigiacomo will be heads-down focused on building a solid 2013 marketing plan. But she won’t be working in a vacuum. The Datto management team meets twice weekly. And it’s also safe to expect a close working relationship between Prestigiacomo and Shannon Kohn, marketing and channel relations director.

Kohn is a road warrior who surfaces at numerous MSP- and channel-related events. Prestigiacomo will do the same in 2013.

Competition and Consolidation

Prestigiacomo arrives at Datto at an intriguing time. Several BDR-focused companies are experiencing hyper growth, but MSPmentor also is seeing some companies reposition or get gobbled up through mergers, acquisitions and asset sales.

In short, the BDR market is growing, changing and consolidating. Where will Datto fit into that mix? Prestigiacomo will play a key role in answering that question.