Seasoned enterprise software and customer experience leader joins leading conversational AI company

LivePerson, Inc., the global leader in enterprise conversations, today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed John Sabino as CEO, effective January 10, 2024. Sabino will also become a member of the LivePerson Board on that date. Sabino’s appointment was unanimously approved by the Board following a thorough and deliberate search process conducted by a committee composed of independent directors.

Sabino is a seasoned and highly successful business leader with deep domain experience in enterprise software, SaaS, call center operations and technology, and digital business — with an extensive track record of building high-performing organizations, scaling operations, and delivering rapid growth and transformation. He most recently served as Chief Customer Officer of VMware (recently acquired by Broadcom) from October 2021 through January 8, 2024, where he led the company’s 7,000-person global Customer Experience and Success organization, growing revenue to $1.3 billion and overseeing customer experience for VMware’s over 350,000 customers, while improving consumption and SaaS license conversions by over 50%.

Previously, Sabino served as Chief Customer Officer of Splunk, a leading provider of cybersecurity and observability technology, where he oversaw customer experience for Splunk’s more than 18,000 customers and a revenue stream of over $950 million, and as Chief Operating Officer of GE Digital, a $1 billion provider of IoT and infrastructure software, where he led operations and oversaw strategy, go-to-market, and technology infrastructure. He has also held executive roles leading commercial operations and strategic initiatives at GE Capital and NBC Universal, and started his career as a captain in the United States Army.

“With his proven track record delivering growth and operational excellence at scale, passion for customer centricity, and extensive experience leading and inspiring global teams, John is the ideal leader to advance LivePerson’s growth and profitability initiatives,” said Jill Layfield, Chair of the LivePerson Board of Directors. “The Board worked diligently to find the right candidate to lead the company forward, including robust evaluation of key elements critical to unlocking value for our shareholders, customers, and stakeholders. We are confident John is that person.”

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“LivePerson has long been a category leader in conversational AI, delivering digital transformation at scale to many of the world’s largest and best-known brands,” said John Sabino, LivePerson’s incoming CEO. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join the company at this exciting time of growth for conversational AI and customer engagement technologies. I look forward to working with the exceptional team at LivePerson, and partnering with Jill and the Board to build on the company’s sophisticated platform capabilities, capture the market opportunity, and deliver enhanced value for our clients, partners, shareholders, and employees.”

John Collins, who has served as LivePerson’s Interim CEO and CFO since August 2023, will continue with the company in an expanded leadership role as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer.

“On behalf of the Board, I also want to thank John Collins for his outstanding leadership during this transition,” said Layfield. “John delivered significant progress in a short period of time, refocusing the company on its core strengths and establishing a strong and data-centric foundation to support execution. We look forward to his continued positive impact in the expanded role of CFO and COO, and to partnering with John Sabino and the entire leadership team to fulfill LivePerson’s potential as one of the world’s leading platforms for conversational AI, customer engagement, and digital transformation.”

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