Fortinet’s new APAC leader believes partners will drive the next decade of growth

“My expectation isn't simply that partners sell more Fortinet solutions; it's that together we help customers solve bigger business challenges and create new opportunities for growth,” says Luca Simonelli, Senior Vice President for Asia Pacific, Fortinet.

For Luca Simonelli, Fortinet’s recently appointed Senior Vice President for Asia Pacific, returning to the company where he began his cybersecurity journey in 2004 is more than just a familiarity. Speaking to CRN Asia since taking over his new role, Simonelli shared that the entire cybersecurity industry has evolved into something a lot more different today.

Back in 2004, when Simonelli was leading Fortinet’s EMEA business, the cybersecurity vendor only had a few hundred employees and most security terms that exist today was pretty much unheard of back then.

“Coming back now feels both familiar and exciting. Having previously led our EMEA business, I've seen first-hand how the company has evolved into one of the industry's leading cybersecurity platforms, while staying true to its culture of innovation and execution,” he said.

For Simonellie, what excites him the most about his new role is the diversity and pace in the APAC region. While every market is at a different stage of digital transformation, he said that many organisations across the region share the same ambition to innovate securely.

“I'm looking forward to spending time with customers, partners and our teams across APAC, understanding their priorities and helping them navigate the next phase of growth driven by AI, cloud and platform-based security,” he added.

What follows is the rest of the interview with Simonelli as he discusses the changes in the industry and Fortinet as well as the opportunities he is seeing for Fortinet’s partners in APAC.

How much has the industry and company changed since you were last with Fortinet?

The biggest change is that cybersecurity is no longer simply an IT discussion, it has become a business imperative. AI is accelerating digital transformation, but it's also expanding the attack surface, increasing infrastructure complexity and raising the stakes for organisations across every industry.

Fortinet has evolved alongside that shift. We've grown from being recognised primarily for network security into one of the industry's most comprehensive cybersecurity platforms. Today, we're helping organisations converge networking and security through a single operating system, AI-powered security services and an integrated platform that reduces complexity while strengthening cyber resilience.

What are the biggest opportunities you are seeing for Fortinet in the region?

Organisations today are looking for ways to innovate faster, embrace AI and accelerate digital transformation without increasing cyber risk. That requires security to evolve from being a control function into a true business enabler. We're seeing customers move away from fragmented security architectures towards integrated platforms that reduce complexity, improve operational efficiency and give them the confidence to scale securely.

At the same time, technology transformation is creating entirely new security demands. Organisations are modernising data centres, expanding into hybrid cloud environments, connecting operational technology and embedding AI into their business processes. As these environments become more distributed and interconnected, security needs to be built into the foundation rather than added later.

For Fortinet, the opportunity lies in helping customers secure that transformation through a unified platform, while working closely with our partners to deliver solutions that are tailored to the needs of each market across Asia Pacific.

Where are your customers being challenged the most in their cybersecurity journey?

Complexity remains one of the biggest challenges. As organisations expand across cloud, hybrid infrastructure, remote users, operational technology and now AI, security teams are expected to protect a much broader attack surface, often without a corresponding increase in resources or skilled talent.

Many organisations are also managing fragmented security environments built around multiple point products that don't work well together. That increases operational overhead, reduces visibility and slows response times at a point when threats are becoming faster and increasingly AI-driven.

Customers are looking for ways to simplify operations, consolidate security, improve visibility and automate more of their security workflows without compromising protection. Those are conversations we're having across virtually every market in Asia Pacific.

How important is Fortinet's partner ecosystem in the region, especially in solving customers' cybersecurity challenges?

Our partner ecosystem is fundamental to how we help customers achieve their business outcomes. As technology becomes increasingly accessible, expertise becomes the real differentiator. Customers aren't simply looking for best-of-breed technologies, they're looking for trusted partners who can help them make the right decisions, simplify complexity and turn cybersecurity into an enabler of business transformation.

The role of the partner is evolving alongside customer expectations. Organisations need partners who understand not only cybersecurity, but also the realities of AI adoption, infrastructure modernisation, regulatory requirements and long-term digital resilience. That's why we're focused on helping our partners deepen their technical expertise, expand their services capabilities and build long-term strategic relationships with customers. When our partners succeed in creating greater value for customers, everyone benefits.

Lastly, what's your message to partners in the region? What can they expect more from Fortinet with you now in the company?

One thing I've learned over the years is that the best partner relationships aren't transactional, they're built around a shared strategy. My expectation isn't simply that partners sell more Fortinet solutions; it's that together we help customers solve bigger business challenges and create new opportunities for growth.

As customer needs evolve, our partners have an opportunity to move beyond product delivery and become trusted advisors, managed security providers and long-term transformation partners. That's where I believe the greatest value will be created over the next decade.

My commitment is that Fortinet will continue investing in the capabilities, programmes and innovation that help our partners differentiate their business and grow profitably. We'll continue listening, adapting and working together because our success will ultimately be measured by the outcomes we help our partners deliver for customers.