Sridhar Vembu steps down as Zoho CEO, assumes chief scientist role

ZOHO CORP FOUNDER Sridhar Vembu on Monday announced his decision to step down as CEO, bringing an end to nearly three decades at the helm of the business software giant he built into a multibillion-dollar enterprise.

- NARAYANAN V

The billionaire entrepreneur will transition to a new role as the company's Chief Scientist, focusing on research and development (R&D) initiatives.

Vembu, known for his candid views on social media, shared the news on X. "A new chapter begins today," he wrote, citing the challenges and opportunities ahead, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI). "It has been decided that I should focus full-time on R&D initiatives, along with pursuing my personal rural development mission," he added.

As part of the leadership transition, Zoho co-founder Shailesh Kumar Davey will assume the role of group CEO, while co-founder Tony Thomas will lead Zoho's US operations. Rajesh Ganesan will head the ManageEngine division, and Mani Vembu will oversee the Zoho.com division.