Zendesk announced Rachita Sundar has joined the company as Chief Financial Officer, effective September 28, 2026. Sundar succeeds Julie Swinney, who is transitioning to Chief Administrative Officer and executive sponsor of Zendesk’s Employee Service business, a growing area of focus for the company.

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.

“Rachita brings a rare combination of financial rigor and deep operating experience in technology,” said Tom Eggemeier, CEO, 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.”

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Sundar brings over 20 years of experience leading finance and business operations at technology companies, including Microsoft Azure, HubSpot, and Qualtrics. She began her career as a software engineer before moving into finance, where she built high-performing teams, partnered across functions, and helped businesses scale. At Qualtrics, she helped finance and close the company’s $6.75 billion acquisition of Press Ganey Forsta while strengthening its financial and operating processes and helping guide strategic investments that contributed to record profitability and cash flow as the company navigated the shift to AI.

“Zendesk is now scaling toward a billion-dollar AI business – an extraordinary opportunity to help shape the future of service,” said Sundar. “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.”

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In her new role, Swinney will oversee Zendesk’s People & Places and IT organizations. The People & Places function will build the talent, culture and experience Zendesk needs going forward; while IT will deliver the secure, scalable technology required to operate as an AI business. Swinney will also serve as executive sponsor of Zendesk’s growing Employee Service business, shaping its strategy around the evolving needs of IT, HR and other internal functions. Given her current and former Zendesk leadership roles across IT, People, Finance and Legal, she is uniquely positioned to advance Zendesk’s employee service vision for more connected, intelligent employee support across the enterprise.

“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 rigor 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.”