Workday CEO Eschenbach departs, with co-founder Aneel Bhusri returning as CEO

In a significant shift within its leadership, Workday has announced the departure of its CEO, Carl Eschenbach, who will also leave the company's board immediately. The enterprise resource planning software firm has reinstated its co-founder, Aneel Bhusri, as CEO. Bhusri previously held the CEO position from 2009 before transitioning to executive chairman in 2024. Eschenbach, who joined the company in December 2022 as co-CEO and had been the sole CEO since February 2024, stepped down amidst a strategic pivot for Workday. The organization confirmed to TechCrunch that Bhusri's return is intended to be permanent rather than temporary while a replacement is sought. This leadership transition comes as Workday looks to embrace artificial intelligence as a core component of its future strategies. Bhusri expressed enthusiasm about re-assuming the CEO role, stating, "We’re now entering one of the most pivotal moments in our history. AI represents a more significant transformation than SaaS and will be instrumental in shaping the next generation of market leaders." He also highlighted his excitement about collaborating with the current leadership team, including presidents Gerrit Kazmaier and Rob Enslin. Workday's leadership change follows a challenging period for the company, which reduced its workforce by 8.5% last February, equating to approximately 1,750 positions. Eschenbach had mentioned that this move was necessary for adapting to the evolving labor landscape influenced by AI advancements.