EarthLink Names Former HP Exec as EVP of Managed Services

MSPmentor 501 honoree EarthLink (ELNK) has added an experienced C-level executive to its team.

The Atlanta-based managed service provider (MSP) has appointed former HP (HPQ) executive Gerard Brossard as its executive vice president and managing director of managed services and information technology. He will replace Michael D. Toplisek, who will leave EarthLink after a transition period.

Departing Toplisek joined EarthLink in 2012 and presided over the announcement that the company would extend its managed services to on-premise equipment.

Brossard is credited with overseeing much of HP’s workforce optimization strategies, starting at the company in 1999 and leaving in 2013, serving under CEOs Carly Fiorina, Mark Hurd, Leo Apotheker and Meg Whitman. His work included the integration of acquired companies into the parent company. Brossard most recently served as senior vice president and global head of business planning and operations at Visa (V).

During his tenure at HP he held several executive positions, and he has worked as an advisor for numerous technology companies, including EarthLink.

Joseph F. Eazor, EarthLink’s CEO, said Brossard will help his company deliver managed network services in the cloud “better than anyone in the industry.”

“[Brossard’s] leadership will help us continue to grow and improve our managed services business,” he told MSPmentor. “We are investing significantly in managed services. It is our growth engine for the future.”

So what types of managed services should EarthLink customers expect to see in the future?

Eazor pointed out that EarthLink plans to release “a number of new products and capabilities along with significant upgrades to existing products rolling out in the coming months.” In addition, he said EarthLink will continue to refine and improve its sales, marketing and service delivery operations.

EarthLink has released various new services over the past few months as well.

For example, EarthLink last month unveiled a Managed Network Service to help businesses improve their network performance. This MSP also launched a Managed Security Monitoring Service in February to track customers’ desktops, laptops, networks, point-of-sale (POS) devices and routers to detect security issues.

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