Smee joins ambitious CensorNet

Cohort founder Grahame Smee rocks up as security vendor's sales VP

Two months after leaving distributor Exertis, industry big hitter Grahame Smee has joined Brit security vendor CensorNet to steer its ambitious growth plans.

Since its acquisition by a group of industry veterans in 2014, Basingstoke-based CensorNet has moved beyond its roots in web filtering into the cloud application control space and bagged £2m in Series A funding.

Smee (pictured), who built security VAD Cohort before selling it to Exertis in 2013, has been appointed as CensorNet's vice president of sales and will work closely with CEO Ed McNair.

CensorNet competes both with the likes of the recently acquired Bloxx business on the web-filtering side and players such as Skyhigh Networks for its newer cloud application control business, Smee said.

"We think we have a very strong product for the medium-sized enterprise and that is an area that's not particularly well served by the cloud application control market right now," he said.

The priority is to recruit more sales and pre-sales staff and expand CensorNet's line-up of resellers and MSPs, Smee said.

"This year will be the year we really explode in the UK and we plan to double our headcount," he added.

Smee had planned to take a longer break from the industry but said he felt unable to turn down a role at CensorNet, which he said was a natural fit for his background in the security channel.

"In value-added distribution, I've typically worked with vendors that are in launch mode so it's an area I'm well versed in," Smee said.

"I'm taking a step up the chain but because CensorNet operates a single-tier channel, it's a very similar sales model to distribution."