Zendesk names Rachita Sundar as Chief Financial Officer

Zendesk has appointed Rachita Sundar as Chief Financial Officer, while Julie Swinney has moved into the role of Chief Administrative Officer.

Sundar joins the customer service software company after finance and operations roles at Microsoft Azure, HubSpot, and Qualtrics, bringing more than two decades of technology experience.

The leadership change comes as Zendesk puts greater emphasis on artificial intelligence in its business and product strategy. Sundar will lead the finance function, while Swinney adds oversight of the company's People & Places and IT organizations to her remit.

Swinney will also serve as executive sponsor for Zendesk's Employee Service business, a growing focus for the company. The unit supports internal functions such as IT and human resources.

Finance shift

Sundar began her career as a software engineer before moving into finance and business operations. She has held operating and financial leadership roles at large software groups and cloud businesses.

At Qualtrics, she worked on the financing and completion of the company's USD $6.75 billion acquisition of Press Ganey Forsta. She also helped strengthen financial and operating processes while supporting strategic investment decisions as the business adapted to artificial intelligence.

The appointment gives Zendesk a finance chief with experience in both product-led software companies and large-scale cloud operations. That mix is likely to draw attention as software companies try to balance AI spending with pressure for tighter cost control and clearer returns.

Tom Eggemeier, Chief Executive Officer of Zendesk, outlined the company's rationale for the hire.

"Rachita brings a rare combination of financial rigour and deep operating experience in technology," said Tom Eggemeier, Chief Executive Officer of Zendesk.

"As we build Zendesk into an AI company, that combination matters: smart capital allocation, operating discipline, and responsible scale. Rachita will help ensure every investment we make sharpens our focus on customers and the business," he said.

Broader remit

Swinney's new role expands her responsibilities beyond finance. She will oversee workplace and people operations, as well as internal technology systems, which Zendesk considers central to how it plans to run the business as it develops more AI products and services.

Her previous leadership work across IT, People, Finance, and Legal positions her to help shape Zendesk's employee service strategy. The company wants that part of the business to address the support needs of internal corporate functions through more connected systems and automated tools.

Eggemeier also praised Swinney's contribution in her previous role.

"Julie has been a pivotal partner in shaping Zendesk's future - guiding major acquisitions and integrations, and building a culture of accountability, focus, and operational rigour across the company," said Eggemeier.

"Her judgment, integrity, curiosity, and care have made her an invaluable partner to me, our leadership team, our Board, and colleagues across Zendesk. She will bring that same leadership to her new role and next chapter," he said.

AI focus

The executive reshuffle highlights how established software companies are adjusting senior leadership teams as artificial intelligence shifts from product feature to core investment priority. Finance chiefs are taking a more visible role in deciding where companies allocate capital, how quickly they expand, and how they measure returns on AI-related spending.

For Zendesk, that shift appears to extend to both customer service tools and internal employee support systems. Its comments on Swinney's role suggest it sees employee service as a strategic area alongside its better-known customer support software.

Sundar framed her move in those terms.

"Zendesk is now scaling toward a billion-dollar AI business - an extraordinary opportunity to help shape the future of service," said Rachita Sundar, Chief Financial Officer of Zendesk.

"What drew me here is the strength of its product, the size of the market opportunity, and the ambition of this leadership team. As AI reshapes how businesses serve their customers, Zendesk is positioned to lead that change, and I am excited to make the disciplined investments this next phase demands. I look forward to building on the foundation Julie has established and partnering with the team to create long-term value for our customers and employees," she said.