Exciting changes are underway at Pharos. Starting this week, I’m stepping into the role of CEO, a move that comes at a critical moment for our industry.
Kevin Pickhardt—a visionary leader who has helped guide Pharos into an era of innovation and top-tier enterprise solutions—is transitioning into the role of Executive Chairman. In this capacity, he’ll remain involved with Pharos, focused on deepening our strategic partnerships, nurturing customer relationships, and exploring new enterprise opportunities.
Gavin Drake has also joined the Pharos leadership team as our Chief Marketing Officer. Gavin comes to us with over 25 years of B2B software marketing experience, including CMO roles at two other Spotlight Equity portfolio companies. He brings with him a proven track record of scaling global operations and creating growth opportunities.
Leading the shift toward a digital workplace
Since introducing the Pharos Cloud platform in 2013, Pharos has evolved beyond traditional print management solutions to become a leader in cloud technology, user experience, and cybersecurity. We’re not just adapting to the next big thing—we’re driving it. And I’m honored to help complete our evolution and be at the forefront of this transformation.
There is a growing urgency for global businesses to modernize their IT infrastructure in order to complete their transition to a digital workplace. This transition isn’t just a trend, it’s a business imperative. While more employees are returning to the office, it’s a different office than the one they left three years ago, and our systems and tools must adapt.
Legacy systems can be a significant roadblock to agility, scalability, competitive advantage—and even security. According to leading IT market research and advisory firm IDC, 41% of organizations state that improved enterprise security is the top objective of IT modernization. (IDC’s U.S. Print and Cloud Security, August 2023)
In an era where speed, security, and digital employee experience (DEX) are crucial, an organization’s IT infrastructure—including its print infrastructure—shouldn’t hold it back. Even so, print infrastructure is often overlooked, despite its inherent cybersecurity risks and impact on the employee experience. In fact, we estimate that less than 15% of enterprises have modernized their IT print infrastructure and moved it to the cloud.
Those who have migrated to the cloud are reaping its benefits: streamlined administration, reduced—or reallocated—IT spend, data-driven decision-making, and a more secure environment. As we continue to invest in our solution, I am confident Pharos will become the first choice not only for enterprises but for every organization looking to modernize their IT infrastructure with secure, effortless cloud print management.
Elevating the customer experience
Our commitment isn’t just to groundbreaking technology; it’s to an exceptional customer experience—both in the product itself and in the services that support our customers. Earlier this year we refined our Professional Services offerings to make the deployment of our solutions easier, faster, and more efficient for customers to access than ever before. We’ve launched a new Customer Success team, and have reinforced our global support organization to offer 24/7 support to more customers.
Changes like these are the driving force behind our recent double-digit new bookings growth and our successful expansion into some of the world’s largest companies, including top financial institutions and tech giants.
Charting the path forward
Over the next few months, my focus will shift toward aligning our internal strategies, followed by a U.S-based tour to connect directly with our valued customers and partners.
To paraphrase my predecessor, Kevin, “These leadership shifts align perfectly with our dual objectives: capitalizing on the network and strategic advantages we’ve built over the years, and stepping boldly into an exciting future.” I couldn’t agree more.
Stay tuned for more significant developments as we continue to shape the future of cloud print technology!
