SugarCRM has appointed David Roberts as its new Chief Executive Officer to help the company ‘innovate and grow’.
The Silicon Valley-based customer relationship management (CRM) provider revealed that it was a part of a ‘planned succession’ that sees the previous CEO, Craig Charlton, taking up the post of Chairman of the Board.
Roberts reportedly brings ‘extensive’ experience in SaaS and technology to the top job, in which he will work to enhance SugarCRM’s market presence, product portfolio, and adoption of its AI solutions amongst mid-market businesses around the world.
Craig Charlton, outgoing SugarCRM CEO and incoming Chairman of the Board, shared his support for the company’s new CEO: “We are excited to welcome David as our new CEO.
“David’s proven track record of driving growth and innovation, along with a deep commitment to customer success, makes him the perfect choice to lead SugarCRM into the future.
“As I transition to the role of Chairman, I look forward to working closely with David and the rest of the board to support the company’s continued success.”
In a post to SugarCRM’s online user community ‘SugarClub’, Chris Pennington, Chief Customer Officer at SugarCRM, reassured customers that Charlton’s exit was entirely personal and had no negative bearing on the company itself. Specifically, the time demands of running a US company from Australia had become too challenging for Charlton and his family.
SugarCRM, therefore, began its search for a US-based CEO. Roberts lives in Denver, Colorado.
Who is David Roberts?
Roberts comes to SugarCRM from the customer management software provider Alchemer where he served as CEO and vital to the company’s efforts to becoming a leader in the mid-market CX industry.
Previously, Roberts has held various senior leadership roles, including CEO of ReedGroup and Senior Partner at Accenture.
He has accumulated more than twenty years’ experience working in the world of CRM. Over this time, SugarCRM asserts that he has gained a reputation for operational excellence, innovation, and a dedication to customer success and company growth.
SugarCRM has been a major player within the CRM industry for more than two decades, helping mid-market businesses around the world to achieve maximum efficiency with high quality data, automation, and actionable intelligence solutions.
Roberts spoke about his key objectives for the role: “I am honoured to join SugarCRM at such an exciting time and lead the business in the next chapter of its journey.
“The company’s commitment to helping organisations deliver exceptional customer experiences aligns perfectly with my own values and professional passions.
“I look forward to collaborating with Craig and the entire team at SugarCRM to drive our vision forward, expand our market impact, and deliver even greater value to our customers and partners.”
In July this year, SugarCRM announced fresh generative AI (GenAI) capabilities for its CRM platform.
The Opportunity Summarisation and Case Summarisation features promise to provide sales and service users with superior customer intelligence, enhanced personalisation, and boosted overall productivity.
SugarCRM acquired the revenue intelligence platform provider, sales-i, in May for an undisclosed fee.
In doing so, the prominent CRM player pulls new capabilities that promise to enhance sales profitability and enable more intelligent account management.
