Several notable executive shifts are underway in the Pacific Northwest’s tech sector, signaling both strategic pivots and growth ambitions among major players. As reported in the article “Tech Moves: Smartsheet names SVP; AWS exec departs for startup; WatchGuard’s new CEO” published by GeekWire, multiple companies have recently announced key leadership changes.
At Smartsheet, the Bellevue-based collaborative work management platform, industry veteran Prithvijit Roy has been appointed as Senior Vice President of Engineering. Roy’s background includes leadership roles at ThoughtSpot, Fractal.ai, and IBM, bringing deep experience in artificial intelligence and data analytics. His hire comes as Smartsheet continues to refine its product roadmap for enterprise customers and deepen its investments in intelligent automation. Roy succeeds Gene Farrell, who remains at the company as Chief Strategy and Product Officer.
Meanwhile, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is seeing a departure of a rising executive. Shankar Subramaniam, who spent nearly a decade with AWS in senior product and engineering roles, has left the cloud giant to launch his own enterprise software startup. Though limited details are available, the move underscores ongoing momentum in Seattle’s startup ecosystem, particularly among former leaders at large-scale cloud firms.
In the cybersecurity space, Seattle-based WatchGuard Technologies has appointed Puneet Sapra as its new CEO. Sapra previously served as an executive at McAfee, Broadcom, and Symantec, and joins WatchGuard at a time when demand for unified security platforms among small and mid-sized businesses is surging. He replaces longtime CEO Prakash Panjwani, who will remain as a board director after leading the company for nearly a decade. Sapra is expected to drive international expansion and further integrate WatchGuard’s recent acquisitions.
These executive changes reflect broader trends shaping the region’s tech industry, including the fluid movement of talent between established firms and new ventures, and an emphasis on AI-driven innovation across sectors. As organizations recalibrate leadership to stay competitive, the Pacific Northwest remains a critical hub for both enterprise technology and entrepreneurial activity.
