Cyber security specialist Webroot has taken its first steps into the African market with the appointment of Sovaton as its first official distributor for South Africa and neighbouring territories.
John McLaughlin, Systems Engineer for Webroot EMEA, says that what differentiates the company from its competitors is that it offers a fully cloud-driven security solution – a prerequisite in today’s threat landscape.
“Long gone are the days when cyber criminals were driven by the desire to bring down Microsoft to prove their hacking prowess,” McLaughlin says. “Today, the cyber threat landscape is driven by the potential for financial gain and it is a landscape that is changing from minute to minute.
“You need to be able to see these threats straight away and we are coming to market with a solution that has instant response,” he adds.
“Webroot moved to the cloud three years ago and we’re proud to say that we are the only truly cloud-based AV security system in the market. A lot of companies claim to be in the cloud, but there are no other security companies like us. Our system and files live in the cloud and this lends itself to a much more dynamic and larger data set. There is no need to have security on-premise and with a client footprint of a mere 3Mb, we can protect users wherever they are.”
McLaughlin says that while the company has an OEM agreement with FNB in South Africa, Sovaton is its first distribution appointment.
“Through the appointment of Sovaton we’re looking to build brand awareness and market share in both the consumer and enterprise market segments,” he says. “We are a 100% channel company and, together with Sovaton, we’re looking forward to building a healthy, strong and mutually beneficial channel infrastructure in South Africa and the region.”
Reon Coetzee, In-Country Sales Manager at Sovaton, says Webroot is already generating keen interest among local resellers.
“We have already identified and are interacting with some key resellers and we will drive Webroot through them, empowering them to train and support their customers,” Coetzee says.
“In today’s market it is important that distributors can offer their reseller channel a security solution and, although there are many security vendors out there, we felt that the fact that Webroot is a true cloud-driven solution – and is 100% channel orientated – was one of the best options for us.”
Coetzee says that there has also been interest from resellers in neighbouring territories for Webroot.
“While our initial focus will be on establishing a strong ecosystem in South Africa, we do have resellers in Namibia and Botswana who are already taking up the solution,” he says. “We are confident that there is going to be a strong uptake of Webroot in SADC countries in the near future.”
