McAfee Names Industry Veteran Worldwide Channel SVP

McAfee Inc. (MFE) has announced it has appointed Alex Thurber as senior vice president of worldwide channel operations. In this role, Thurber will be responsible for all aspects of the McAfee worldwide channel strategy and operations.

Thurber’s immediate areas of focus will be implementing infrastructure improvements to make it easier to do business with McAfee and driving pay for performance programs that will enable a value-based channel across the breadth of McAfee solutions. He will report directly to Michael DeCesare, executive vice president of worldwide sales operations at McAfee, and will be located in Santa Clara, Calif.

“We are pleased to welcome Alex to lead McAfee’s growing channel organization,” said DeCesare. “I am looking to leveraging his 17 years of network and security experience that has given him a deep understanding of what is required to build and grow a value-based channel. His hands-on experience in a worldwide ‘best in class’ channel organization along with his go-to-market expertise makes him an exceptional addition to our team.”

Thurber joins McAfee from Cisco Systems, where he was responsible for the development and execution of Cisco’s channel strategies and programs for security, wireless and emerging technologies, as well as the channel integration of all Cisco acquisitions. In his 10 years at Cisco, he oversaw the activities in the enterprise, commercial and public sector markets, was responsible for the go-to-market channel strategy for security, wireless and datacenter and served as managing director for Japan Channels, responsible for all of Cisco’s Japanese channel business.

“McAfee’s commitment to being a world class channel company and its singular focus on security has proven successful in helping to empower the channel,” said Thurber. “I’m excited for the opportunity to build upon this success and to drive the vision and leadership for the McAfee channel.”

Prior to Cisco, Thurber started Thurber Works, and under his direction as CEO, the IT services and consulting firm became the Northwest’s premier network solutions and security solution provider. Before being acquired, Thurber Works was the fastest growing technology company in Oregon, and the 75th fastest growing technology company in the United States. In 1999, Thurber was named Oregon’s Technology Entrepreneur of the Year.