Salesforce Inc. Chief Business Officer Ebony Beckwith is leaving the company, the latest top executive to depart the software giant, which is increasingly focused on profit.
(Bloomberg) — Salesforce Inc. Chief Business Officer Ebony Beckwith is leaving the company, the latest top executive to depart the software giant, which is increasingly focused on profit.
Beckwith is a 14-year veteran of the company and long oversaw its philanthropic initiatives. Since 2021, she was chief of staff to Chief Executive Officer Marc Benioff. She will remain at the company until May, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be named discussing personnel moves.
Beckwith was one of four women and the only Black executive listed on Salesforce’s non-board leadership team. She previously sat on the board of e-commerce firm Poshmark. She “has had a tremendous impact across our company and the communities we serve,” a spokesperson said.
The software-as-a-service pioneer has seen executive tumult over the last six months with the departure of leaders including Co-Chief Executive Officer Bret Taylor and Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield. The changes initially spooked investors who have since regained confidence after the company said it would improve profit margins much quicker than expected.
Kendall Collins, a former chief marketing officer of Okta Inc., will replace Beckwith as chief business officer and chief of staff to Benioff. Though he will not take over her role in philanthropy, the person said.
Collins was previously a Salesforce executive until 2016. A spokesperson said the company “couldn’t be happier to welcome Kendall back to Salesforce to play a key role in fueling our next chapter.”
(Updates with company statement in third, sixth paragraph.)
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