Island names Hugh Darvall APAC Channel Lead amid push

Island has appointed Hugh Darvall as APAC Channel Lead, adding a regional channel leadership role as it expands its partner network across Asia-Pacific.

Based in Melbourne, Darvall will oversee channel strategy across the region. His remit includes building relationships with resellers, systems integrators and managed service providers across Australia, New Zealand and broader APAC markets.

The appointment comes as Island looks to grow its presence in the region and strengthen its partner-led route to market. It is working with customers and partners in sectors including healthcare, financial services and retail, and is seeing demand from organisations reviewing older remote access and endpoint security tools.

These include virtual private networks, virtual desktop infrastructure and fragmented endpoint controls. Island argues that customers want to simplify access to web, software-as-a-service and AI-related workflows while maintaining tighter oversight of corporate data.

Partner push

Nick Lennon, Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand, said the hire reflects the importance of the channel to Island's regional plans.

"Hugh's deep experience in building high-performing channel ecosystems will be critical as we scale in APAC," Lennon said.

"We're seeing strong demand from organisations looking to enable AI, SaaS and web-based work without compromising governance or security. At the same time, many are reassessing legacy architectures that are costly, complex and no longer fit for purpose. Hugh will play a key role in helping our partners capture that opportunity, supporting customers as they modernise their environments and adopt a more integrated approach to secure work."

Lennon said partners are central to Island's growth plans in the region as companies seek advice on technology choices linked to AI adoption, productivity and risk.

"Our partners are on the frontline of these conversations," he said.

"Our focus is on equipping them with a platform that delivers clear value to customers, both in terms of security outcomes and operational efficiency. The appointment comes at a critical juncture as organisations grapple with the 'Wild West' of AI adoption. While modern AI was largely built for consumers, Island AI Protect provides the security, visibility and governance required to enable AI safely at scale within the enterprise."

AI context

Island is positioning the channel expansion around a broader shift in how companies are adopting artificial intelligence tools in the workplace. It says businesses want stronger governance over employee access to AI services and greater visibility into how data moves across browsers, desktop applications, extensions and networks.

The company's products are designed to place security and governance controls within the employee workspace rather than as separate layers around it. Island says that model can help businesses support distributed staff, bring-your-own-device environments and third-party access without relying as heavily on older infrastructure.

Darvall said that backdrop was one of the reasons he joined the company.

"Organisations are under pressure to adopt AI and modern ways of working, but traditional approaches to security often slow teams down, increase cost and create risk," Darvall said.

"Island's Enterprise Workspace Platform changes that dynamic, embedding security and governance directly into the workspace so businesses can move faster without compromise.

"For partners, that opens up a very different conversation with customers, one focused on enabling the business rather than adding controls that create friction."

Legacy shift

His role also reflects a broader opportunity for channel firms as customers reassess spending on established workplace and security products. Partners that have historically managed complex stacks of remote access, desktop virtualisation and point security tools may now see scope to offer more integrated alternatives.

Darvall said that shift could change how partners present their value to customers.

"There's a real opportunity here for partners to help customers simplify their environments, reducing reliance on VPNs, VDI and multiple point solutions while improving both user experience and security posture," he said.

Globally, Island has expanded its customer base among large enterprises, including major financial institutions. In Australia and New Zealand, it is already working with early customers and partners following its regional launch, with growth expected to come through the channel.

"We're at a point where organisations need to move faster, adopt AI safely and support increasingly distributed ways of working," Lennon said. "Our partners are critical to making that happen at scale, and Hugh's appointment ensures we have the leadership in place to build a high-performing ecosystem across APAC."