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Workday CEO Steps Down, Founder Returns to Lead AI Push
10 Feb
Summary
- Carl Eschenbach has stepped down as Workday CEO, effective immediately.
- Co-founder Aneel Bhusri returns as CEO to spearhead AI initiatives.
- The leadership change follows a recent 8.5% workforce reduction.
Enterprise resource planning software company Workday announced a significant leadership change on Monday. Chief executive Carl Eschenbach has stepped down from his role and departed the company's board, effective immediately. Aneel Bhusri, a co-founder of Workday and its former CEO, will return to lead the company as CEO.
Bhusri, who had previously led Workday since 2009, had been serving as executive chairman. His return to the CEO position is permanent, according to the company. This transition comes as Workday signals a strategic focus on artificial intelligence for its future development.
In a statement, Bhusri emphasized the pivotal moment for Workday, describing AI as a more significant transformation than SaaS itself. He expressed enthusiasm for guiding the company alongside presidents Gerrit Kazmaier and Rob Enslin. This leadership shift follows a period where Workday laid off 1,750 employees, or 8.5% of its workforce, in February 2026.
