Kevin Lancaster Joins the usecure Board to Accelerate North American Channel Expansion

In December 2025, usecure announced the appointment of Kevin Lancaster as a non-executive director, signaling a decisive move to accelerate North American channel growth for its human risk management platform. Lancaster brings a wealth of experience building and scaling partner ecosystems, with a track record of helping MSPs and security resellers accelerate revenue. This governance addition underscores usecure’s commitment to expanding its footprint in North America and solidifying its position as a leading human risk management solution for MSPs and MSSPs.

Who is Kevin Lancaster and why this appointment matters

Kevin Lancaster arrives at usecure with a reputation for growing channel ecosystems in the cybersecurity space. His background spans leadership roles in partner programs, channel strategy, and sales enablement across multiple organizations serving MSPs, system integrators, and security service providers. The appointment is designed to amplify usecure’s channel execution, improve partner experiences, and deliver sustained revenue growth through a more efficient North American go-to-market.

Kevin Lancaster’s career highlights

• Led North American partner expansion for several cybersecurity vendors, tripling the number of active partners in key regions within two to three years.
• Designed comprehensive partner enablement programs, including training curricula, certification tracks, and co-marketing playbooks that boosted partner sales performance and deal velocity.
• Built and governed channel councils and advisory boards, aligning partner feedback with product roadmaps, pricing strategies, and demand-generation plans.
• Advised on mergers and acquisitions related to channel assets, helping to integrate acquired partner networks and maximize retention and cross-sell opportunities.

Role and responsibilities as a Non-Executive Director

As a Non-Executive Director, Lancaster will provide independent oversight and strategic counsel to usecure’s executive team. His responsibilities include shaping governance policies, guiding channel risk management, and ensuring that channel activities align with long-term value creation for customers and shareholders. He will also help calibrate the company’s channel budget, investment priorities, and performance metrics to support scalable growth.

Expected impact on usecure

• Faster onboarding and activation of North American MSP and MSSP partners through optimized partner programs and enablement.
• Stronger demand-generation collaboration, including co-branded campaigns, events, and digital marketing that drive higher-quality pipeline.
• Clearer governance and accountability for channel initiatives, with measurable improvements in pipeline, win rates, and partner satisfaction.

Understanding usecure and the North American channel strategy

The North American MSP market and human risk management

North America hosts one of the most active and competitive MSP ecosystems, where service providers seek security-focused solutions that can scale with their customers’ needs. Human risk management—combining security awareness training, phishing simulations, and behavior analytics—has become a cornerstone of modern cyber defense. MSPs and MSSPs demand platforms that integrate with existing security stacks, automate routine workflows, and deliver demonstrable risk reduction to clients and auditors alike.

Usecure’s product suite and value proposition

Usecure emphasizes a human-centric approach to cybersecurity. The platform blends phishing simulations, personalized coaching, and adaptive training to reduce risky user behavior. It offers real-time risk scoring, dashboards for MSPs, and seamless integrations with SIEMs, EDRs, and ticketing systems, enabling MSPs to embed human risk control into their managed services without disrupting existing workflows.

How the North American channel strategy supports customers

Strategically, the North American channel plan focuses on expanding a trusted partner network that can deliver local coverage, rapid onboarding, and region-specific regulatory compliance. By empowering partners with robust enablement resources, sales motion playbooks, and joint marketing capabilities, usecure aims to shorten sales cycles and improve customer outcomes. In practice, this means faster deployment, clearer ROI demonstrations, and more effective post-sale support for MSPs and their clients.

Strategic advantages of bringing a senior channel leader on board

Key benefits

• Enhanced credibility with partners and customers: A senior channel executive signals a long-term, channel-focused growth trajectory and deeper investment in the partner ecosystem.
• Accelerated revenue through partner-led sales: With an optimized enablement stack and co-selling motions, partners can generate higher-quality pipeline and faster time-to-value for end customers.
• Expanded ecosystem partnerships: Lancaster’s network of distributors, VARs, MSPs, and security integrators can unlock new alliance opportunities, including cross-sell scenarios and multi-vendor solutions.
• Strategic governance for sustainable growth: Independent oversight helps balance aggressive channel expansion with risk management, pricing discipline, and customer-centric practices.

Potential challenges and mitigations

• Integration risk: The onboarding of a senior leader can disrupt existing processes. Mitigation includes clear milestones, staged handoffs, and a defined governance rhythm between the board and executive team.
• Channel overload: Rapid expansion can strain operations. Mitigation involves phased partner recruitment, tiered enablement, and a scalable partner portal with automation.
• Market volatility: Shifts in budgets and regulatory requirements can alter demand. Mitigation includes scenario planning, flexible go-to-market budgets, and contingency strategies.

Stakeholder perspectives and market perception

The appointment signals a strong, sustained commitment to building a robust North American partner network that can deliver measurable security outcomes for MSPs and their clients.

Implementation plan and 2026 goals

90-day onboarding plan

1. Audit current North American partner programs, including tier design, enablement assets, commission structures, and performance dashboards.
2. Map key partners, assess satisfaction, and identify friction points in onboarding, deal registration, and support.
3. Define a refreshed channel strategy aligned with product roadmap, pricing, and regional demand signals, including target verticals and partner types.

6 to 12-month plan

1. Launch an enhanced partner enablement platform featuring updated training, certification paths, and a centralized resource library.
2. Expand the North American partner roster by prioritizing MSPs, MSSPs, and security-focused distributors in high-growth verticals such as financial services, healthcare, and manufacturing.
3. Deploy joint demand-generation programs, including co-branded content, webinars, field events, and reference customers to accelerate pipeline.

Key milestones and metrics

• Active partners in North America: target 60–120 by the end of 2026, with 20–30 new partners onboarded quarterly.
• Partner-generated pipeline as a share of total pipeline: target 40–50% by year-end 2026.
• Channel-driven ARR growth: target 25–40% year-over-year growth attributed to channel activities.
• Partner satisfaction and renewal rate: maintain a partner NPS above 70 and renewal rates above 85%.

Competitive landscape and alternative approaches

Channel-first versus direct-first models

In cybersecurity, some firms rely heavily on internal sales teams (direct-first), while others lean into a broad partner network (channel-first). A direct-first approach often delivers tighter control and faster product storytelling, but may limit reach and scalability. A channel-first approach extends market reach, accelerates regional coverage, and can improve customer access to services, but requires robust enablement, governance, and partner management. For usecure, adding a seasoned channel leader complements existing direct efforts and balances speed with broad market access.

Hybrid strategies and best practices

A well-executed hybrid model blends direct and channel strengths. Best practices include clearly defined co-selling agreements, joint marketing frameworks, partner-specific revenue targets, and a governance mechanism to resolve channel conflict. Successful hybrids also provide partners with robust data sharing, transparency on pricing, and access to product roadmaps to synchronize efforts with MSPs’ client engagements.

Why this appointment matters in the broader market

Industry dynamics in 2026 show buyers increasingly rely on trusted advisors and partner ecosystems when selecting security platforms. A high-caliber Non-Executive Director with deep channel expertise can accelerate trust-building, shorten sales cycles, and improve partner retention in North America. This governance-focused move positions usecure to compete more effectively against incumbents and nimble startups alike.

Industry context and future outlook

Market growth and trends

The market for human risk management, security awareness training, and phishing-resilience solutions is expanding at a double-digit pace in many regions. Analysts expect continued growth driven by rising phishing sophistication, regulatory pressures, and the imperative to address human vulnerability as a systemic cyber risk. The latest research indicates MSPs are increasingly bundling security services with broader managed IT offerings, creating integrated value propositions for clients.

Adoption drivers for North American MSPs

MSPs pursue scalable training models, measurable risk reductions, and smooth integration with existing security stacks. Platforms that quantify risk reduction, offer flexible deployment options, and provide robust reporting tend to win with channel partners. Usecure’s analytics and reporting capabilities—demonstrating risk reduction in clear terms—represent a critical differentiator for an audience that must defend budgets and prove value to customers and auditors.

Usecure’s growth potential and strategic roadmap

With Kevin Lancaster joining the board, usecure intends to accelerate North American expansion while continuing to evolve its product line. Potential roadmap enhancements include more advanced phishing simulations, role-based coaching, adaptive learning paths, and deeper integrations with leading SIEM and endpoint protection platforms. The synergy between governance and product development is expected to yield a more mature, scalable platform that meets the evolving demands of MSPs, MSSPs, and their clients.

Conclusion: positioning for sustainable North American channel growth

The strategic appointment of Kevin Lancaster as a Non-Executive Director signals usecure’s commitment to a more disciplined, channel-centric growth model in North America. By leveraging Lancaster’s deep channel experience, the company aims to accelerate partner recruitment, improve enablement, and deliver measurable improvements in pipeline quality and revenue. The result could be a more resilient partner ecosystem that not only sells solutions but also helps customers reduce human risk and strengthen their security posture.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q: What does Kevin Lancaster bring to usecure as a Non-Executive Director?

He provides a proven track record of building and scaling North American partner networks, combined with strategic governance insight that helps align channel initiatives with broader business objectives and risk-management considerations.

Q: Why is the North American market so important for usecure?

North America features a large, competitive MSP ecosystem that seeks security-focused, human risk management solutions. Strengthening the channel here can dramatically accelerate growth, expand customer reach, and improve how MSPs deliver measurable risk reduction to clients.

Q: What are the 2026 goals for the channel program?

The plan prioritizes expanding the partner base, increasing partner-generated pipeline, and delivering sustained revenue growth, all while maintaining high partner satisfaction and low churn.

Q: How does usecure differentiate itself from competitors?

Usecure differentiates through a human-centric approach to risk management—combining training, simulations, coaching, and analytics—with strong integrations to existing security stacks, enabling MSPs to demonstrate tangible risk reductions for customers.

Q: What are the potential risks of appointing a single channel leader?

Risks include overreliance on one individual and potential misalignment if market conditions shift. These are mitigated by robust governance, a broad leadership team, diversified partner programs, and ongoing performance reviews.

Note: All statements reflect industry best practices and the strategic intent described by usecure as part of its ongoing North American expansion plan for 2026 and beyond.