Channel Women In Security: GitGuardian’s Carole Winqwist On Developer Trust, Channel Value And Leading Global Security Marketing

GitGuardian CMO bridges developer-led security with enterprise outcomes, why channel value has never mattered more, and what women leaders should know about building influence across global, cross-functional teams.

In a security landscape where developer speed collides with enterprise risk, few marketing leaders understand that tension as fluently as Carole Winqwist, chief marketing officer at GitGuardian. With more than two decades of global marketing leadership across Europe and the U.S., Winqwist has helped shape how organizations think about secret sprawl, developer trust, and the future of DevSecOps—while building a partner-first go-to-market motion in the channel.

GitGuardian supports both developer communities and enterprise security teams. How do you work with the channel to translate developer-centric risks like secret sprawl into real security outcomes?

First, it’s important to understand who we are. GitGuardian is the number one app on the GitHub Marketplace, with more than 500,000 developers using the platform. That scale gives us deep trust within the developer community.

GitGuardian is a French company, but most of our revenue comes from the U.S. When we decided to invest in the channel a few years ago, the goal was to build on that trust—both with developers and with security teams inside large enterprises.

Our model is intentional. GitGuardian is free for individual developers, but our customers are large organizations. Those enterprises need enterprise-grade security solutions, but they also need tools their developers will actually use. With secrets detection, you can’t work only with AppSec teams. Developers are part of the remediation path, so they must be engaged.

That’s where the channel comes in. Partners help organizations connect developer-accepted tools to enterprise security requirements. Because developers already trust GitGuardian, adoption is easier, collaboration improves, and outcomes are stronger.

With nearly two decades leading global marketing teams, what shifts are you seeing in how channel partners evaluate vendors today?

What hasn’t changed is the need for clear, mutual value. The channel and the vendor have to be better together.

Partners bring critical value—account knowledge, existing commercial vehicles, technical expertise, and complementary services. If a vendor isn’t adding something meaningful alongside that, there’s no reason for a customer to introduce a third party.

In cybersecurity, this is even more important. We’re dealing with highly technical environments, and organizations often need external experts to add another layer of insight. That’s where strong channel partnerships matter most.

GitGuardian operates with a product-led growth model while also selling into large enterprises. How do you balance those two motions?

For us, there’s no real tension—it’s foundational. Our roots are deeply embedded in the developer community. Programs like our Good Samaritan initiative, which alerts developers for free when their secrets are exposed in public repositories, are part of our DNA. That insight allows us to understand how developers work and how security fits into their workflows.

That foundation enables us to build enterprise-grade solutions that scale. Some of our largest customers have more than 20,000 developers using GitGuardian. Without those developer roots, we wouldn’t be able to serve enterprises effectively.

Transparency is another key element. Anyone can test our product without NDAs or special permissions. Enterprises value that freedom. Many proof-of-concepts happen before prospects ever contact us, reflecting the reality that much of the buying journey happens early.

Free access builds trust. Trust builds adoption. Adoption supports enterprise growth.

Social selling and influence-based marketing are becoming more important. How can channel partners use influence more effectively in cybersecurity?

People-to-people relationships matter more than ever. As everything becomes more digital, automated, or AI-driven, people are seeking connection.

Channel professionals are the connective tissue between vendors and practitioners. They have close relationships with CISOs and security leaders, and they influence decisions through trust—not just transactions.

We also work with industry influencers, former practitioners, and associations such as ISACs across healthcare, finance, energy, and other sectors. Together with partners, we co-create content, co-host events, and deliver co-messaging that resonates within specific industries.

When partners and vendors show up together—at trade shows, in campaigns, or in advisory conversations—the shared message carries far more weight than any single voice.

What advice would you give women in cybersecurity navigating cross-functional and global leadership roles?

Global leadership requires adaptability beyond language. At GitGuardian, much of the organization is based in France, while sales and marketing teams are in the U.S. Time zones matter, but culture matters just as much. Learning styles differ. Pitching styles differ. Even presentation structure can change by region.

In the U.S., pitches are often concise and outcome-focused. In France, we tend to go deeper into technical detail because of our engineering culture. Leaders need to recognize those differences and adapt accordingly.

Despite the challenges, global teams are a tremendous strength. The diversity of perspectives leads to better problem-solving and stronger outcomes.

Is there anything you’d like to leave our audience with?

Yes. Women should absolutely join cybersecurity.

We already have women leading globally, including our head of channels. We need more women across marketing, sales, channels, and technical roles. Too often, women experience imposter syndrome around technical products, but that shouldn’t be a barrier.

Cybersecurity is fast-moving, meaningful work. We’re solving real problems and protecting organizations from real harm. It has purpose—and we need more women in it.