Acronis names Tony Stratton as ANZ general manager

Acronis has appointed Tony Stratton as General Manager for Australia and New Zealand as it looks to expand its partner network in the region.

Stratton will oversee operations across both countries, with responsibility for regional growth and the development of Acronis' channel relationships. Acronis has more than 700 partners across ANZ.

The appointment puts a long-time channel and IT executive in charge of one of Acronis' established regional markets. Stratton brings more than 30 years of experience in the IT sector, including more than two decades in senior leadership and sales director roles.

His background includes work with cloud and cybersecurity suppliers across Asia-Pacific, as well as collaboration with managed service providers serving midsized and large enterprises. Acronis said that experience was central to the hire as it looks to deepen ties with MSPs and other partners in the region.

Channel focus

Partner growth is set to be a central part of Stratton's brief. He will focus on strengthening relationships with partners and customers while supporting the continued development of Acronis' channel ecosystem.

That strategy reflects the role MSPs play in Acronis' route to market in Australia and New Zealand. The business sells a platform that combines cybersecurity, data protection and IT management tools for MSPs and internal IT teams.

Acronis is also expanding what it describes as an AI-native platform. The platform is intended to simplify and automate routine IT and security work while bringing together product categories that MSPs often buy and manage separately.

Stratton said the regional market offered room for expansion. "I'm excited to be joining Acronis and building on the significant opportunities across Australia and New Zealand," said Tony Stratton, General Manager for ANZ at Acronis.

"Having worked closely with managed service providers throughout my career, I understand firsthand the importance of strong channel partnerships and the value they bring to driving mutual success. I look forward to working alongside my team and our partners to accelerate growth, strengthen cyber resilience and deliver meaningful outcomes for customers across the region," Stratton said.

Regional market

The hire comes as software and security vendors continue to compete for MSP attention in Australia and New Zealand, where partners are increasingly being asked to manage cyber risk, backup, compliance and core IT administration for business customers. Vendors have responded by broadening product ranges and trying to reduce the number of separate tools partners need to run.

Acronis' regional leadership said the combination of security pressure and operational complexity is shaping demand. It pointed to rising AI-related threats as one reason MSPs are seeking products that can be managed with less overhead.

Welcoming the appointment, Acronis linked Stratton's background in the local channel to its wider regional plans. "I'm very pleased to welcome Tony to Acronis," said Pasha Ershow, Senior Vice President for APJ & Middle East at Acronis.

"With AI-driven threats on the rise, MSPs in Australia and New Zealand need protection that's stronger but simpler to run. Our AI-native platform brings cybersecurity, data protection and IT management together, using AI agents with human oversight to automate everyday work. With more than 700 partners across ANZ and growing, Tony's experience and knowledge of the local channel will help us support them better and continue our expansion in the region," Ershow said.

Before joining Acronis, Stratton held leadership roles with global cloud start-ups and technology providers operating across Australia and the wider Asia-Pacific market. He has worked closely with partners focused on business continuity, data protection and digital transformation projects for enterprise customers.

That background is likely to be relevant as Acronis looks to expand its presence among MSPs that increasingly want fewer vendors, tighter integration between security and backup products, and clearer commercial support from suppliers. In ANZ, where channel relationships can be decisive in software buying, the General Manager role carries direct significance for partner recruitment, retention and local execution.

Stratton's priorities will include expanding Acronis' regional footprint and supporting its existing partner base as it grows.