Frank Rauch Leaving Channel Leadership Role at Check Point Software

By Bob DeMarzo and Edward Gately

Channel Futures has confirmed that Frank Rauch, one of the channel’s most visible, prominent and longest-running leaders, is leaving Check Point Software Technologies at the end of this month.

Frank Rauch

He’s checking out as Check Point’s head of worldwide channel sales to build the channel program for an emerging player in the communications and technology industry.

Rauch is ending a four-year run at Check Point. There, he effectively rebuilt the company’s standing in the channel, turning the security vendor from an also-ran in the partner community to a frontrunner. He accumulated some 80 channel awards and made Channel Futures’ prestigious list of Top 20 Cybersecurity Channel Leaders for 2022.

Check Point sent us the following statement:

“After four years with Check Point, Frank Rauch has decided to pursue other opportunities. We thank Frank for his service to the cybersecurity community and wish him all the best in his new endeavors. Our channel partners are incredibly important to us and we remain dedicated to supporting them in deploying solutions to ensure everyone has the best security.”

Rauch to Comment in Early January

Rauch declined to comment on his Check Point exit. He also wouldn’t confirm reports coming in to Channel Futures that his new employer is a pre-IPO organization that wants to go big in the channel and generate a large percentage of indirect sales. Rauch did, however, say he will comment early next month.

At Check Point, Rauch gets credit for convincing the company to make a major investment in channels. During his tenure, Check Point built out some of the best tool sets for business planning with partners, opening an aperture for partners to work with the company on a worldwide basis across multiple geographies, and elevating the security provider to the C-level at most major partner organizations.

He “changed the game, pivoting from network security to cloud security, to end user security and formalizing a managed services program and introduced professional services to partners of Check Point,” said a source.

Rauch Accomplished Everything He Set Out to Do

One source said Rauch is leaving Check Point after accomplishing everything he had set out to do from a channels perspective. Prior to his arrival, many channel leaders did not believe billionaire founder and Check Point CEO Gil Shwed understood the value of the channel in helping to grow the company. Check Point had a checkered channel past, but all that changed under Rauch’s tenure. He leaves behind what many describe as a solid channel leadership team. Expect senior company management to turn to an outside program-focused leader to replace Rauch and build upon the programs, relationships and incentives he put in place.

Check Point’s channel leadership team includes Nisha Holt, head of Americas channels; Lindi Campbell, head of national channel partners, U.S.; and Coletta Vigh, head of worldwide channel strategy, among others.

Extensive History with VMware, HP

Prior to serving as Check Point global channel leader, Rauch was vice president of VMware‘s Americas partner organization. And before that, he was HP’s vice president of enterprise servers, storage and networking channel sales.

This past summer, Rauch told us Check Point’s partner base is growing.

“There’s no doubt about it,” he said. “It’s growing significantly year over year. And it has for as long as I’ve been here. What’s attracting them? I think predictability in a kind of unpredictable environment. And when I say predictability, I’m not just talking about 100% channel. That’s absolutely part of it. But it’s the predictability of that. They’re selling their customers something that works.”