The company announced CEO Alan Masarek to retire by the year end while current board chair Patrick Dennis to take over.
Avaya’s current Chair of the Board of Directors, Patrick Dennis, will assume the role of CEO, effective September 1, 2024 as current President and CEO, Alan Masarek retires by the end of the calendar year.
Mr. Dennis brings 30 years of experience with a proven track record of transformational leadership of companies in Enterprise Software, SaaS, Cybersecurity and Communications. He currently serves as CEO of Venafi, a cybersecurity company that is in the process of being acquired by CyberArk, where he drove innovation, growth and customer success.
“I am honored and thrilled to lead Avaya on the next phase of its journey building on the solid foundation laid by Alan and the leadership team.”
Patrick Dennis, CEO, Avaya
“Avaya is now operating from a position of financial strength and industry leadership, and our strategy is resonating with customers around the world who can be confident in Avaya’s consistency in strategic direction and commitment to deliver for their long-term success. I look forward to working with the team to accelerate Avaya’s market momentum,” said Mr. Dennis.
Prior to his appointment at Venafi, Mr. Dennis was the CEO of ExtraHop, which nearly doubled in size during his tenure and received industry accolades for the company’s thought leadership in Artificial Intelligence.
Mr. Masarek’s retirement comes at the conclusion of a successful, eight-quarter transformation of the business, setting Avaya’s ongoing strategic plan for innovation and growth, and firmly positioning the company as a leader in Enterprise CX. Mr. Dennis became Chair of the Avaya Board as the company emerged from its recapitalization in May 2023, and has been a close partner with Mr. Masarek and the leadership team in developing Avaya’s strategy and growth plans. As such, the succession is built upon a shared vision for Avaya’s go-forward strategic direction, innovation, and long-term growth.
