Sridhar Vembu, the visionary behind Zoho Corporation, has announced his decision to step down as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to assume the role of Chief Scientist.In this new capacity, Vembu will focus on leading Zoho’s deep research and development (R&D) initiatives and furthering his personal mission of rural development.
Vembu co-founded Zoho in 1996, initially establishing it as a software development firm catering to network equipment providers under the name AdventNet. In 2009, the company rebranded to Zoho Corporation, shifting its focus to providing Software as a Service (SaaS) support for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) services.
Over the years, Zoho has grown into a SaaS giant, surpassing $1 billion in sales and generating an operating revenue of Rs 8,703 crore for FY23, marking a 29% increase from the previous fiscal year.
Following Vembu’s transition, Co-founder Shailesh Kumar Davey will take over as the Group CEO. Tony Thomas, another Co-founder, will lead Zoho’s US operations. Additionally, Rajesh Ganesan will head the ManageEngine division, and Mani Vembu will assume responsibility for the Zoho.com division.
Vembu’s decision to focus on R&D comes in response to the evolving challenges and opportunities in the tech industry, particularly the recent major developments in artificial intelligence (AI). He emphasized the importance of navigating the R&D landscape to secure the company’s future and expressed enthusiasm about returning to hands-on technical work.
Beyond his contributions to the tech industry, Vembu has been a proponent of rural development. In 2011, Zoho opened its first rural office in Mathlamparai, Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu. Since then, the company has established 30 satellite offices in rural and non-urban areas worldwide, aiming to attract talent from a broader pool and positively impact local communities.
Sridhar Vembu’s leadership and vision have been instrumental in shaping Zoho into a global SaaS leader. His transition to Chief Scientist underscores his commitment to innovation and societal development, setting the stage for Zoho’s continued growth under new leadership.
