Workday Leadership Transition Signals Strategic Focus on AI Transformation

Workday announced a leadership transition as CEO Carl Eschenbach stepped down from his role and departed the company’s board, effective immediately. Workday co-founder Aneel Bhusri has returned as chief executive officer, moving from his position as executive chairman to lead the company’s next phase of growth.

Eschenbach joined Workday in 2022 as co-CEO alongside Bhusri and became sole CEO in 2024. The company said the leadership change aligns with a strategic shift toward artificial intelligence–driven enterprise software. Bhusri will work alongside company presidents Gerrit Kazmaier and Rob Enslin as Workday expands AI capabilities across its platform. The transition follows workforce reductions announced earlier this year as the company adapts operations to the growing role of AI in enterprise productivity software.