Qualtrics names Jason Maynard CEO to drive AI growth

Qualtrics has appointed Jason Maynard as Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect and added him to its Board of Directors.

The company said Maynard will take over full leadership straight away. Jim Whitehurst and Mark Gillett, who served as interim co-CEOs, have returned to their roles on the Qualtrics board. Whitehurst continues as Executive Chairman.

The appointment comes as Qualtrics increases its investment in artificial intelligence and prepares for its pending acquisition of Press Ganey, valued at USD $6.75 billion.

New chief

Maynard joins from Oracle, where he held the role of Executive Vice President of Revenue Operations. He joined Oracle through its acquisition of NetSuite in 2016.

At NetSuite, the company said Maynard helped scale revenue nearly fivefold. It said the customer base grew from 11,000 to more than 43,000 during his time there.

Before moving into software operations, Maynard spent 15 years as an analyst at Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, and Wells Fargo, according to Qualtrics.

Qualtrics positions itself as the creator of the experience management category. The company sells software that collects and analyses feedback from customers and employees. It also markets a growing set of AI-driven tools that automate parts of the process.

Whitehurst said Maynard's background in cloud software and product development made him a fit for Qualtrics' next stage.

"Jason has scaled one of the most successful cloud businesses, built products customers depend on, and has a sharp perspective on where AI is taking our industry. That's a powerful combination that will take Qualtrics, our category, and the value we deliver to customers to the next level," said Jim Whitehurst, Executive Chairman, Qualtrics.

AI focus

Qualtrics said it sees momentum in AI adoption across its customer base. It said nearly half of customers have upgraded to its AI-related products.

The company described AI as central to how organisations interpret experience data and respond to feedback. It said it plans to scale adoption across more customers and more use cases.

Qualtrics linked its AI push to outcomes such as loyalty and retention. It also cited employee engagement and faster insights as areas of focus for its customers.

Maynard framed the role as a chance to build on Qualtrics' position in experience management and to expand its use of AI in products and operations.

"Qualtrics invented Experience Management, and with AI at the core of modern business the ability to understand human experience and act on what matters in context is more important than ever," said Jason Maynard, Chief Executive Officer, Qualtrics. "This is a rare opportunity to lead the company that created its category and build on that foundation with innovation, execution, and a relentless focus on delivering real impact for our customers."

Founder support

Ryan Smith, a co-founder of Qualtrics, said he expects Maynard to guide the company's next phase as it expands its AI work and continues its product development agenda.

"I'm incredibly excited to support Jason as he leads Qualtrics in this next phase," said Ryan Smith, co-founder of Qualtrics. "Jason's background, market experience, and ability to lead out in new trends is critical for where the technology ecosystem and Qualtrics are going. He is the perfect person to lead through this next frontier of Experience Management with AI at the center of everything."

Deal backdrop

The pending acquisition of Press Ganey sits behind the leadership change. Press Ganey operates in experience measurement and analytics, with a focus on healthcare providers.

Qualtrics has not set out the operational timeline for the deal in its announcement. It did, however, describe the transaction as part of its AI investment programme and broader scaling plans.

The company said Maynard will lead Qualtrics as it expands its AI efforts and pursues further uptake of its newer products among existing customers.