Sridhar Vembu steps down as Zoho CEO, takes on role as chief scientist
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Sridhar Vembu, the founder and CEO of Zoho Corporation, has announced his decision to step down from his role as CEO to focus on research and development as the company’s chief scientist.
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Vembu explained that his decision was influenced by the challenges and opportunities facing Zoho, particularly the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence. “It has been decided that I should dedicate my time entirely to R&D initiatives while continuing my personal rural development mission,” he wrote.
The leadership mantle will now be passed to Zoho’s co-founder, Shailesh Kumar Davey, who will assume the position of Group CEO. Meanwhile, Tony Thomas will oversee Zoho’s operations in the US, Rajesh Ganesan will lead the ManageEngine division, and Mani Vembu will head the Zoho.com division.
Vembu’s journey with Zoho began in 1996 when he co-founded AdventNet, a software development company for network equipment providers. In 2009, the company was rebranded as Zoho Corporation, shifting its focus to software-as-a-service (SaaS) products, including customer relationship management (CRM) solutions.
Before founding Zoho, Vembu worked as a wireless engineer at Qualcomm in San Diego, California, and later moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2019, he relocated to Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu, where he has been actively involved in rural development initiatives.
Vembu emphasised the critical role of research and development in shaping Zoho’s future. “The future of our company depends on how well we navigate the R&D challenge,” he noted in his post. His new role will allow him to focus on innovations that address emerging technological trends, including artificial intelligence.
In recent years, there have been reports of Zoho exploring chip-making ventures and seeking government incentives to expand in this area.
Ranked as the 39th richest person in India last year with a net worth of $5.85 billion, Vembu was awarded the Padma Shri in 2021 for his contributions to the technology industry. His leadership has been instrumental in transforming Zoho into a global software powerhouse, offering subscription-based solutions to businesses in multiple countries.