‘I’m always excited to see what Austin does next. … Austin’s a smart guy. He has a love for our community, and I think he doesn’t have to do this. So I think it’s awesome that he continues trying to make the community better,’ says Devaughn Bittle, vice president at Slide partner CommPutercations.
Slide co-founder Austin McChord is now the interim CEO of the business continuity and disaster recovery vendor, succeeding co-founder Michael Fass who stepped down effective immediately, the company said Tuesday.
Slide did not provide a reason for Fass’ departure or specify whether it plans to conduct a search for a permanent CEO. The company declined to comment further when reached by CRN.
Fass played a central role in building Slide’s business, assembling and leading the team behind its initial product and establishing partner relationships. During his tenure as CEO, Slide expanded internationally and grew its network to more than 1,000 MSPs worldwide.
“Michael and I started Slide because we believed MSPs deserved something better,” McChord said in a statement. “He brought that vision to life, and I’m deeply grateful for his leadership in building Slide into the successful, growing business it is today.”
[Related: Slide Adds CTO, CISO As MSP Growth Accelerates: Exclusive]
McChord (pictured) founded Datto, which grew into a global company serving MSPs before it was acquired by Kaseya for $6.2 billion in 2022. Slide was launched by McChord and Fass, both Datto veterans, in 2025.
In June 2025, Slide raised $25 million in Series A funding to expand platform development, strengthen its operations and support international growth and an additional $70 million in March 2026. The investment also supported the launch of a Canadian data center to serve customers seeking to keep backup data within the country.
For MSPs who worked with McChord during his time leading Datto, his appointment as interim CEO of Slide brings back memories of a company that built a loyal following among partners.
“People still see Slide as Austin McChord’s brainchild,” Antwine Jackson, founder and president of Raleigh, N.C.-based Enitech, told CRN. “Austin has all the credibility in the world from his days at Datto, based on the company he built and the culture that he built around that company. I think, quite honestly, him being interim CEO is going to continue to propel Slide in the right direction.”
He added that McChord’s reputation among partners could help the company maintain its momentum, especially as Slide expands its offerings and builds out its team.
Devaughn Bittle, vice president of Frederick, Md.-based Slide partner CommPutercations, who also partnered with Datto under McChord’s leadership, said Slide has already reminded him of early Datto days.
“I’m always excited to see what Austin does next,” Bittle told CRN. … “Austin’s a smart guy and he has a love for our community. So I think it’s awesome that he continues trying to make the community better.”
He credited both McChord and Fass with demonstrating a commitment to the MSP community, saying that passion has been apparent to partners throughout Slide’s development.
“I definitely agree with what Austin says as far as Michael’s love for the MSP community. It’s really what stood out for us as MSP owners,” he said. “It’s obvious between him and Austin both that they really have a passion for the MSP community, and I’m sure that will continue.”
Mary Summerell, CEO of Frisco, Texas-based Slide partner Revenge Technologies, said she is not concerned about the leadership transition despite Fass’ abrupt departure.
“I think Michael taking the helm at the get-go, because of where they came from, was a smart decision and [with] Austin taking over, I don’t see a problem with it,” Summerell told CRN.
She described McChord as an innovator with a strong understanding of the MSP community and confidence in his ability to lead Slide through its next chapter.
“He’s truly, in my opinion, one of our geniuses in our community,” she said.
