Liongard’s New CRO David Powell: ‘MSPs Aren’t Short On Good Ideas, They’re Short On Actionable Ideas’

David Powell, former Pax8 executive and newly named CRO of Liongard, tells CRN that the attack surface management vendor’s ‘unmatched industry data’ positions it to ‘enable an AI-driven future for MSPs.’

Attack surface management vendor Liongard has tapped David Powell as its new CRO to focus on advancing the company’s global revenue strategy, accelerating growth and scaling partner success.

Powell brings about 30 years of experience in the IT and SaaS industries with a proven track record of driving growth, fostering innovation and delivering strategic leadership. He started his position at Liongard on Jan. 2.

He most recently served as vice president of sales strategy at Denver-based cloud marketplace Pax8 and previously held other leadership roles, including as CRO at Evo Security and president of Prodoscore. His extensive background also includes senior positions at ConnectWise, LogicMonitor and Perch Cybersecurity, contributing to three successful exits and seven private equity-backed acquisitions.

“Data is key,” Powell told CRN. “Liongard possesses unmatched industry data, which positions us uniquely to enable an AI-driven future for MSPs. By automating routine tasks and freeing up resources, MSPs can focus on high-value initiatives. This ability to scale efficiently will be essential as the industry evolves.”

His appointment aligns with Houston-based Liongard’s commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions for automated asset discovery, misconfiguration detection and cyber insurance reporting, according to CEO Michelle Accardi.

“Liongard is on a rocket ship trajectory, and we need talent that matches the pace of this growth,” Accardi told CRN. “When I first started looking for a chief revenue officer about 18 months ago, I had a chance to connect with David, who was then in his role at Pax8. Over time, I got to know him better and saw the opportunity we have here at Liongard, which I was able to present more clearly to him.”

She said Powell brings “a rare combination” of executive experience in cybersecurity, distribution and SaaS leadership. From his work at ConnectWise and Perch Cybersecurity to his CRO roles in observability and productivity tools, she said she believes he has consistently demonstrated his ability to scale high-growth companies.

“This is truly the right place and the right time for both David and Liongard,” she said. “Over the last year, we’ve advanced our product set and enhanced the value we deliver to our partners. David’s experience and leadership will unlock even more of that value by evangelizing how Liongard helps MSPs and IT providers improve visibility across their attack surfaces, achieve operational efficiency and ultimately drive revenue growth.”

CRN spoke to Powell about strategic goals, Liongard’s global growth and what partners can expect from the vendor in 2025.

What attracted you to the CRO role at Liongard?

I’ve had the privilege of experiencing both the MSP and vendor sides of the industry, which gives me a unique perspective. My goal has always been to help the MSP community grow and improve. At Liongard, the potential to leverage their unparalleled industry data aligns perfectly with my mission of helping MSPs scale efficiently, improve cybersecurity and deliver better services to their clients.

What are some of your short-term goals at Liongard?

My short-term focus is on ensuring our existing customers fully utilize Liongard’s capabilities. Oftentimes MSPs discover one great use case for a tool and stick with it, but there’s so much more potential. By elevating successful use cases and making them accessible across the board, we can help our partners become operationally mature and improve their service delivery. Scaling efficiently, growing revenue without proportionately increasing costs, is a common challenge for MSPs. Liongard can help solve that.

How do you plan to accelerate Liongard’s global growth initiatives?

We see significant growth opportunities in regions like the U.K, Northern Europe, APAC and [Australia and New Zealand]. These markets face the same scaling challenges as MSPs in North America, and our solutions can directly address those needs. To support this, we’ve invested in local talent, like regional account directors in Canada and the U.K. and are strengthening distribution partnerships in these areas.

How will you ensure MSPs maximize the platform’s value?

It’s crucial to align the sales and client success processes. For example, during the sales process, we cast a vision of what’s possible with Liongard. Post-sale, our client success teams must programmatically guide customers to achieve those outcomes. It’s not about handing MSPs a box of Legos to figure out themselves, it’s about showing them what’s possible and enabling them to get there efficiently.

What lessons from your previous roles will you bring to Liongard?

One thing I’ve learned is that MSPs aren’t short on good ideas, they’re short on actionable ideas. Vendors often provide great concepts but leave MSPs to figure out implementation. At Liongard, our focus is on making our solutions simple to deploy and delivering clear business outcomes. This aligns with my belief that ease of implementation and demonstrated value are critical for MSPs.

What differentiates Liongard from other players in the market?

Data is key. Liongard possesses unmatched industry data, which positions us uniquely to enable an AI-driven future for MSPs. By automating routine tasks and freeing up resources, MSPs can focus on high-value initiatives. This ability to scale efficiently will be essential as the industry evolves.

What opportunities do you see for MSPs in 2025?

The MSP landscape is becoming polarized, with large MSPs adopting enterprise-like approaches and smaller ones struggling to keep up. The biggest opportunity lies in scaling operations efficiently while enhancing cybersecurity capabilities. MSPs will need to adopt sophisticated tools and strategies to address increasing complexity and cyberthreats. Liongard is well-positioned to help MSPs navigate this shift.

What is your message to MSPs for 2025?

If you haven’t looked at Liongard recently, now is the time. We’re doing incredible work and have exciting innovations on the horizon. Think about your challenges—scaling, growth, efficiency and security—and consider who can truly help you solve them. Liongard is ready to be your partner in achieving those goals.