Workday Announces CEO Transition as Carl Eschenbach Steps Down; Co-Founder Aneel Bhusri Reassumes Leadership
In a significant leadership shakeup, Workday has declared that CEO Carl Eschenbach will step down from his role and depart from the board of directors, effective immediately. This decision paves the way for the return of co-founder and former CEO Aneel Bhusri to the helm of the enterprise resource planning software company.
Eschenbach, who joined Workday as co-CEO in December 2022 and had been the sole CEO since February 2024, is succeeded by Bhusri, who previously led Workday from 2009 and has held various leadership positions, including executive chairman since 2024.
This transition comes as Workday gears up for a renewed focus on artificial intelligence (AI), a domain Bhusri emphasizes as transformative for the industry. “We’re now entering one of the most pivotal moments in our history,” Bhusri stated in a press release on Monday. “AI is a bigger transformation than SaaS — and it will define the next generation of market leaders. I’m energized to return as CEO, working alongside our presidents Gerrit Kazmaier and Rob Enslin, and I’m excited about the opportunity in front of us.”
This leadership change follows a challenging period for Workday, where the company laid off approximately 8.5% of its workforce, equating to 1,750 employees, to adapt to evolving labor dynamics influenced by AI. Moving forward, Bhusri aims to steer Workday through this crucial evolution in technology and market competition.
Key Highlights:
– Carl Eschenbach steps down as CEO; Aneel Bhusri returns to lead Workday.
– Leadership transition marks a renewed focus on AI innovations.
– The company previously laid off 8.5% of its workforce to adapt to the evolving landscape.
