Cloud software giant Salesforce (CRM) is facing a fresh wave of leadership turnover. Ryan Aytay, the longtime executive who has led the data visualization unit Tableau since 2023, has announced his exit from the company after nearly two decades. His exit comes on the heels of Denise Dresser, the former head of Slack, leaving to join ChatGPT-maker OpenAI as chief revenue officer.
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Aytay’s Departure Marks the End of a 19-Year Run
Aytay said he plans to pursue a new role outside Salesforce. His career at the company spans mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships with Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN), and Apple (AAPL), and serving as chief business officer to CEO Marc Benioff before taking over Tableau.
Aytay became Tableau’s chief in 2023 as Salesforce worked to better integrate the $15.7 billion acquisition into its broader product suite.
Slack’s Leader Leaves for OpenAI
Just days earlier, Dresser’s departure had triggered a reshuffling inside the company. Rob Seaman stepped in to manage Slack and now reports to Joseph Inzerillo, who oversees Salesforce’s AI unit, Agentforce.
The back-to-back exits, along with the recent departure of Salesforce’s cybersecurity chief, have raised concerns about leadership stability.
Salesforce stock has fallen 43% over the past year, reflecting investor worries about the company’s AI strategy and competitive pressures.
Is CRM a Buy, Sell, or Hold?
Turning to Wall Street, CRM stock has a Moderate Buy consensus rating based on 29 Buys, nine Holds, and one Sell assigned in the last three months. At $326.40, the average Salesforce stock price target implies a 66.21% upside potential.
