Longtime channel veteran Karl Soderlund recently left his post as channel chief of Aruba Networks to become the new channel leader for security specialist Imperva.

As the new vice president of worldwide channels and alliances, Soderlund is responsible for transforming the Redwood Shores, Calif.-based company's channel and alliance program. With 25 years of sales and channel experience working for the likes of Cisco, Fortinet and Avaya, Soderlund says he plans to make improvements to Imperva's channel strategy and recruit partners if necessary.

Soderlund told CRN in an email about his plans for Imperva, his brief time at Aruba/HP and his thoughts on the fast-growing cybersecurity market.
 
Did HP’s acquisition of Aruba play a part in you leaving?

My time at Aruba/HP was fantastic. I learned a lot and worked with very talented individuals internally and in the channel. I wish them only the best of luck in the future.

Why did you choose Imperva? What do you hope to bring to the table?

I’m excited to be joining the Imperva executive team. I’ve been extremely impressed with the caliber of the leadership team and the laser focus of the entire organization on success. Imperva is a market-leading cyber security company in a fast-growing segment. I hope my 25 years of sales and channel success will help in this exciting evolution. It is my firm belief that having a strong and healthy channel will help to solidify the company's market leadership position.

What is Imperva's differentiation in the market?

I think Imperva offers the best cyber security technology in the industry as evidenced by being named the only leader in the Gartner Web Application Firewall Magic Quadrant as well as a leader in the Forrester DDoS Wave. Our products are more scalable and easier to use than our competitors' offerings, giving us a tremendous opportunity for increased channel and partner engagement to win new business and increase market share.

How will you improve Imperva’s channel strategy and do you plan to recruit new partners?

The Imperva team has done an excellent job of recruiting and retaining world-class security partners.  My first order of business will be to listen to our current partner community. I've found over my career that the best ideas for improvement come from listening to and learning from the partners who are selling our solutions every day.  After that process is complete, I'll have a good idea about the improvements and recruitment necessary.