Back to all articles
•Technology

Leadership Change at Workday: Aneel Bhusri Returns as CEO Amid AI-Driven Strategic Shift

View original source

Workday, the enterprise resource planning software company, has announced a significant leadership change. Chief Executive Carl Eschenbach is stepping down immediately, leaving the company's board. Aneel Bhusri, Workday's co-founder and former CEO, is resuming the role of CEO.

  • Carl Eschenbach joined Workday as co-CEO in December 2022 and became the sole CEO in February 2024.
  • Aneel Bhusri had previously led Workday between 2009 and 2024 and has been the executive chairman since 2024.
  • Bhusri's return as CEO is permanent, highlighting Workday's strategic shift towards AI, which Bhusri believes is a more significant transformation than SaaS.
  • This decision comes amidst Workday's recent layoffs, with 8.5% of their workforce, or 1,750 employees, being cut in February 2025.

Bhusri's leadership will focus on leveraging AI to define the next generation of market leaders, in collaboration with presidents Gerrit Kazmaier and Rob Enslin. This transition marks a pivotal moment in Workday's history, aligning with their new strategic emphasis on artificial intelligence.