Sridhar Vembu Steps Down as CEO of Zoho Corp, Takes Up Chief Scientist's Role Vembu will step down as CEO of Zoho Corp and take a new role as Chief Scientist, responsible for deep R&D initiatives.

By Entrepreneur Staff

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Sridhar Vembu, Founder, Zoho Corp

Zoho Corp's billionaire founder Sridhar Vembu has stepped down as CEO of the SaaS company, he said on a post in social media platform X.

"In view of the various challenges and opportunities facing us, including recent major developments in AI, it has been decided that it is best that I should focus full time on R&D initiatives, along with pursuing my personal rural development mission," Vembu wrote.

Vembu said he will step down as CEO of Zoho Corp and take a new role as Chief Scientist, responsible for deep R&D initiatives.

Co-founder Shailesh Kumar Davey will serve as our new group CEO. Our co-founder Tony Thomas will lead Zoho US. Rajesh Ganesan will lead our ManageEngine division and Mani Vembu will lead the http://Zoho.com division.

"The future of our company entirely depends on how well we navigate the R&D challenge and I am looking forward to my new assignment with energy and vigor. I am also very happy to get back to hands on technical work," Vembu said.

Vembu's journey from a humble village in Tamil Nadu to founding Zoho Corp. is a story of resilience and innovation. He stands out from the flock as he has managed to build a billion-dollar software company without venture capital funding. Asked what his secret sauce is, he has always maintained that frugality is the key to building a profitable business.

Zoho's sales crossed the USD 1 billion mark in the financial year ended March 31, 2023. The bootstrapped unicorn reported an operating revenue of INR 8,703.6 crore (USD 1 billion) in the financial year 2022-23 (FY23), a jump of 30 per cent from INR 6,710.7 crore in FY22.

Entrepreneur Staff

Entrepreneur Staff

Editor

For more than 30 years, Entrepreneur has set the course for success for millions of entrepreneurs and small business owners. We'll teach you the secrets of the winners and give you exactly what you need to lay the groundwork for success.
Business News

These Are the Most In-Demand Jobs for 2025, According to a New Report

From software developer to registered nurse, these jobs have the highest number of predicted openings.

Side Hustle

'I Was Called Crazy': This 27-Year-Old's Side Hustle Hit $30,000 a Month in Under a Year — Now It's Worth Millions

Changing regulations forced Angel Rodriguez's jet ski rental company to shut down, and the young entrepreneur had to figure out his next move — fast.

Marketing

How to Nail Your Product Messaging with This 8-Step Framework

Effective product messaging is clear, relevant and focused on solving customer problems, not just listing features.

Business News

'How Vulnerable Senior Investors Are': Morgan Stanley Was Ordered to Pay $843,000 to an Elderly Widow Who Was Scammed Out of Millions (and Not By Them)

The scheme involved multiple criminals who pretended to be technical support staffers, employees at the bank, and even government workers.

Money & Finance

7 Quick Ways to Make Money Investing $1,000

If you're shrewd, you can turn one thousand bucks into even more money. Here's how to make money on investments, even small ones.