With three new leaders taking charge, the company aims to Accelerate Customer and Partner Success in Safe AI at Scale.
Veeam Software has announced a series of senior leadership appointments aimed at accelerating growth, deepening partner engagement, and advancing its vision of delivering the industry’s first Trusted Data Platform for Safe AI at Scale. The strategic hires underscore Veeam’s commitment to innovation, customer success, and secure AI-driven data utilization.
Announced from Dubai on January 28, 2026, the leadership updates include the promotion of Brandt Urban to Chief Business Development Officer (CBDO), the appointment of Tony Colon as Chief Customer Officer (CCO), and the addition of Michael Rau as Vice President of Worldwide Partners.
Driving the Next Era of Data Resilience and Safe AI
As enterprises increasingly look to unlock the value of their data for artificial intelligence while maintaining security, compliance, and resilience, Veeam is positioning itself at the forefront of this transformation. The new appointments are designed to strengthen strategic execution across business development, customer experience, and partner ecosystems.
Anand Eswaran, CEO of Veeam, said the company is entering a defining phase where data resilience, cybersecurity, and AI innovation converge. He emphasized that strengthening the leadership team is critical to sustaining momentum and ensuring customers and partners remain central to Veeam’s growth strategy.
Brandt Urban Promoted to Chief Business Development Officer
In his new role as Chief Business Development Officer, Brandt Urban will lead corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and long-term business development initiatives. Reporting directly to the CEO, Urban will work closely with product and go-to-market teams to translate strategy into execution.
Previously serving as Senior Vice President of Worldwide Cloud Sales, Urban played a key role in expanding Veeam’s global cloud footprint. With prior leadership experience at Microsoft, HPE, RingCentral, and Genesys, he brings deep expertise in cloud platforms, enterprise software, and strategic growth—critical to strengthening Veeam’s leadership in data resilience and safe AI enablement.
Tony Colon Appointed Chief Customer Officer
Tony Colon joins Veeam in the newly created role of Chief Customer Officer, reporting to Chief Revenue Officer John Jester. With over two decades of experience leading global customer-facing organizations, Colon will oversee the entire customer lifecycle, from onboarding and adoption to renewals and long-term success.
He will lead Customer Success, Renewals, Professional Services, and Technical Support, ensuring a unified and seamless customer experience. Having previously held senior roles at ServiceNow, Cisco, and Salesforce, Colon is known for building high-performing customer success teams that drive retention, growth, and customer advocacy—key pillars in Veeam’s data resilience and ransomware recovery strategy.
Michael Rau Named Vice President of Worldwide Partners
Michael Rau joins Veeam as Vice President of Worldwide Partners, where he will lead the company’s global partner strategy across distribution, resell, SaaS, services, and strategic alliances. Reporting to the CRO, Rau will focus on creating consistent partner programs, incentives, and solutions that maximize value for Veeam’s ecosystem.
He will also oversee Veeam’s most strategic partnerships, including collaborations with HPE, Lenovo, Pure Storage, CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Networks, TCS, and Kyndryl. With nearly a decade at F5 and senior leadership experience at Cisco, Rau brings strong technical depth and partner expertise to further differentiate Veeam’s offerings.
Reinforcing Commitment to Customers and Partners
John Jester, CRO of Veeam, noted that these leadership appointments reinforce the company’s focus on excellence across every customer and partner interaction. With a strengthened executive team, Veeam aims to set new benchmarks in data resilience, cyber recovery, and AI-ready data platforms.
As organizations worldwide prepare for AI-driven transformation, Veeam’s enhanced leadership positions the company to deliver secure, resilient, and trusted data solutions—enabling customers and partners to innovate confidently while protecting their most critical digital assets.
