Five9 Announces Future Retirement of Chief Executive Officer Mike Burkland
Five9, Inc. (NASDAQ:FIVN) ("Five9"), provider of the Intelligent CX Platform, today announced that its Chief Executive Officer, Mike Burkland, has decided to retire from his role as CEO. Burkland will remain in the CEO role until his successor is appointed and then will continue to serve on the Five9 Board of Directors ("Board") as Executive Chairman, working with the new CEO to ensure a smooth transition. A committee of independent Board directors has initiated a comprehensive search for the company's next CEO. This search will be conducted by a nationally recognized executive search firm with the goal of appointing a successor by year end.
Mike Burkland served as CEO from 2008 until 2017 when he stepped down as CEO after being diagnosed with cancer. Burkland returned as CEO in 2022. During his tenure, Burkland led the company through significant milestones, including growing the company from $10 million to over a $1 billion in annual revenue and a successful IPO in 2014. Since his reappointment as CEO, he has led a number of transformation initiatives across the company to bolster Five9's market leadership and position the company for the future.
"It has been a privilege and an honor to lead this amazing team of Five9ers," said Burkland. "While my cancer treatments continue to be effective, I recognize that it's not likely to continue indefinitely. After giving this a lot of thought, I believe it's time for me to pass the baton and get back to a more balanced lifestyle, which is hard to achieve while serving as CEO. I'm incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished and am even more enthusiastic about what lies ahead for Five9."
"On behalf of the Board of Directors, executive leadership team and employees, I want to thank Mike for his leadership and deep commitment to Five9," said David Welsh, Five9 Lead Independent Director. "He has fostered a stellar culture and built a market leading SaaS company. We are grateful for his 17 years of dedication to Five9, and we look forward to continuing to work with Mike in his Board capacity."
"The search for our next CEO will focus on attracting a leader with extensive experience in product innovation, a deep commitment to operational excellence at scale, and a growth mindset to further capture market share in an expanding TAM driven by AI," concluded Welsh.
About Five9
Five9 empowers organizations to create hyper-personalized and effortless AI-driven customer experiences that deliver better business outcomes. Powered by Five9 Genius AI and our people, the Five9 Intelligent CX Platform is trusted by 3,000+ customers and 1,400+ partners globally. The New CX starts here and it's at the heart of every winning experience. For more information, visit www.five9.com.
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Mandy Knotts
Corporate Communications Senior Director
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The Blueshirt Group for Five9, Inc.
Lauren Sloane
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