The executive moves accelerate Applause’s mission to help enterprises validate agentic-powered software under real-world conditions
Applause, the global leader in managed software testing services and digital quality, announced new executive leadership as the company continues to expand its AI evaluation capabilities alongside its market-leading managed testing services. Aatish Salvi, previously Chief Technology Officer, has been named Chief Executive Officer of Applause. Tacita Morway, previously Vice President of Engineering, has been promoted to Chief Technology Officer. Under their leadership, Applause will continue expanding its AI evaluation and managed testing capabilities to help customers maintain quality in the increasing complexity of agentic-powered software with greater confidence through real-world validation.
“The modern approach to quality has to include AI agents and humans. That’s the work Applause has been investing in for years, combining AI, agentic automation and the expertise of real people to help clients evaluate AI under real-world conditions.”
Salvi succeeds Chris Malone, who is departing Applause after 13 years with the company, including nearly five years as CEO. During his tenure, Malone strengthened Applause’s position as the market leader in crowdtesting services, expanded the company’s enterprise customer base and helped lead its partnership with Vista Equity Partners.
“Enterprises are shipping AI-driven products faster than their testing strategies can keep up with,” said Aatish Salvi, Chief Executive Officer, Applause. “AI is fundamentally changing how software is built, but it hasn’t changed the standard for quality. The modern approach to quality has to include AI agents and humans. That’s the work Applause has been investing in for years, combining AI, agentic automation and the expertise of real people to help clients evaluate AI under real-world conditions. I’m excited to build on that foundation as we help enterprises innovate faster with the confidence to deploy AI at scale.”
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Salvi joined Applause as Chief Technology Officer in April 2026 after more than two decades leading engineering, AI/ML and enterprise software organizations. Since joining the company, he has helped accelerate Applause’s technical roadmap, advancing its agentic evaluation capabilities and the technology supporting its managed testing services. As CEO, Salvi will spearhead the company’s strategy, go-to-market execution and global operations, with a continued focus on helping its clients deliver quality agentic-powered software experiences.
“Applause has established a differentiated position helping enterprises deliver high-quality digital experiences under real-world conditions,” said Nick Prickel, Vista Equity Partners. “Aatish’s technical vision and leadership make him the right person to guide the company through its next phase as AI reshapes software development.”
Morway joined Applause in February 2026 as VP of Engineering, where she has led the expansion of the company’s agentic testing capabilities. As CTO, Morway will head Applause’s global engineering and product organizations while driving the company’s long-term technology strategy.
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“Tacita is an exceptional technology leader who combines deep engineering expertise with a clear vision of where AI is taking our industry. She has already transformed how we build and deliver our platform, and I’m excited to partner with her as we lead Applause into its next chapter,” said Salvi.
“AI systems fail in the gap between what they were trained on and what actually happens when real people use them,” said Tacita Morway, Chief Technology Officer, Applause. “My team’s job is to close that gap. We’re building technology that determines what to automate, where our global community of testers is needed, and how to orchestrate both so customers can ship faster with confidence.”
Together, Salvi and Morway will lead Applause’s next phase of innovation, expanding the company’s AI evaluation and managed testing capabilities to help clients navigate the increasing complexity of AI-powered software with greater speed, confidence and real-world insight.
