With Nick O’Donovan, Regional Director, EMEA at Huntress, the cybersecurity platform offering managed detection and response tools for endpoints and Microsoft 365 identities, security awareness training and a 24/7 Security Operations Centre (SOC)
What have been your business highlights of the last 12 months?
The highlight for Huntress over the past year has been the successful establishment of a dedicated physical presence in Europe.
For the past three to four years, we had been selling into the region and building traction, but all support and partner engagement was handled remotely by our US team. That meant over 300 European partners were onboarded, supported and managed by colleagues operating across time zones and cultural boundaries. This approach laid an important foundation, but it naturally came with limitations around responsiveness, localisation and relationship-building.
In response, 2024 became our year of real investment in Europe. We committed to giving our partners the service and attention they deserve by building a local go-to-market team and hiring 19 new team members across the UK and Ireland.
Since then, we’ve worked hard to build meaningful relationships with our 300+ existing partners, many of whom were long overdue a handshake and a face-to-face conversation. We’ve also had a major push to be more visible in the market, attending 27 industry events and hosting eight roadshows of our own.
Thanks to this momentum, we’ve grown our European customer count to approximately 750 and blown past double-digit millions in ARR from Europe alone. It’s been nothing short of a transformational year.
What is currently having the greatest impact on your business?
Having a local presence is transformative. Customers value dealing with people in their own time zones who understand the regional MSP landscape. It’s made a massive difference in building trust and growing the brand here in Europe.
Where do you see the next big opportunity for your business?
This year, we took the bold step of launching 16 new roles in February alone, essentially front-loading our hiring efforts to keep pace with our momentum. While that creates enormous opportunities in terms of market expansion and capacity, it also presents a challenge: how do we scale while retaining the culture and values that make Huntress what it is?
The next big opportunity lies in onboarding people effectively, embedding them into the culture and ensuring our mission – to help MSPs deliver better cybersecurity and wreck hackers – is reflected in every conversation and interaction. It’s about scaling without compromising on authenticity or quality, and we’re laser-focused on getting that balance right.
What should your partners be doing over the next 12 months to maximise growth?
I’d encourage every MSP and reseller to take a step back and reassess how they’re currently delivering services. Often, businesses get stuck in a loop of using the same tools without evaluating whether they’re getting best value or whether there’s overlap between vendors. That’s a missed opportunity.
Look for ways to consolidate, streamline and upgrade. You can elevate your service offering if you can reduce vendor sprawl and replace outdated spending with more effective solutions, particularly those that offer true 24/7 coverage. Most MSPs don’t have the resources to operate around the clock, but partnering with someone like Huntress can offer that level of protection. That in turn opens doors to bigger contracts and new market segments, helping MSPs move upmarket and
grow strategically.
Did you get into IT by accident or design?
Definitely by design. I’ve always had a strong personal interest in technology. I studied computer and electronic engineering at university, and although the focus was more on industrial engineering, I quickly realised I was drawn to the human side of tech.
That led me into tech sales as I wanted to stay close to technology but in a role that allowed me to work with people and build relationships. I’ve been in tech and SaaS application sales for 25 years and find it just as rewarding now as when I started.
If you could swap your current job for any other what would it be?
I think I’d choose something at the other end of the spectrum from tech – something outdoors, hands-on and physical. I’ve always loved endurance activities, hillwalking and spending time in the mountains. At the same time, I’m very much a people person, so ideally I’d like a role that combines physical activity with social interaction, perhaps a guide, instructor or something in the wellness space. It’s a world away from cybersecurity but would scratch a different itch.
Which business leader do you most admire and why?
Our CEO and co-founder Kyle Hanslovan.
He brings such authenticity and passion to everything he does. He’s not afraid to speak out, even when it’s controversial, and he brings an authentic voice to the industry that people connect with.
Kyle and the other founders have built a mission-driven, values-led business and are unafraid to challenge the status quo, and that’s inspiring to be around. But what I admire most is his clarity of mission. At Huntress, our job is simple: wreck hackers. That directness permeates everything we do.
What’s the best bit of business advice you’ve been given?
It all comes down to people. Business is about relationships, and relationships are built on trust. You have to be patient, consistent and authentic in how you engage with customers. Not every opportunity will convert today or tomorrow, but if you show up and keep showing up with integrity, you’ll build lasting relationships.
What advice would you give a young person considering a career in IT?
Go for it. It’s one of the most fast-moving, exciting and rewarding industries there is.
Tech never stands still, and that creates incredible opportunities to learn, grow and innovate. Many young people entering the industry today are already ahead in how they approach learning and use technology, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they taught us a thing or two. There’s space for everyone, and the industry is crying out for fresh perspectives.
What would make your day job easier?
Honestly? More hours in the day! But realistically, better time management and being laser-focused on where you can make the most impact. There are so many moving pieces in a growing business, and it’s easy to get distracted. The key is knowing your strengths and playing to them, then building a team around you that complements your weaknesses.You don’t have to do it all. Working as a team, trusting each other and being organised drive progress.
What’s on your playlist at the moment?
I’m not a big music person. I listen to a lot of Audible books instead.
What’s the most used app on your phone and why?
That would be LinkedIn. I use it every day to stay connected with my network and to keep an eye on what’s happening in the industry. I follow many companies and thought leaders, and find it incredibly useful for understanding market trends and seeing how other businesses communicate.
How do you like to spend your spare time?
With my family, 100%. I have two young kids, aged 7 and 9, and an incredibly supportive wife who understands and supports the demands of my role. Any time I have outside of work is all about being present with them.
Fine dining and good wine or curry and a pint?
Curry and a pint!
Favourite holiday destination?
With the kids, Cambrils in Spain. It’s great for family fun and activities. If it was just me and my wife, the Greek islands.
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