Avaya, a global leader in enterprise software solutions, has announced the appointment of Jeff Clarke as its new Chief Executive Officer. Clarke succeeds Patrick Dennis, who will transition to the role of Executive Chair. This leadership change comes as Avaya looks to build on its recent momentum and strengthen its position in enterprise communications through continued innovation and customer-centric growth strategies.
Jeff Clarke, a seasoned technology executive with over 30 years of leadership experience, has been appointed CEO of Avaya, succeeding Patrick Dennis.
Clarke joins Avaya from Insurity, a cloud-based insurance software provider, and has previously held CEO roles at Doxim and Travelport.
His prior senior operating and financial roles include COO at CA Technologies, EVP at Hewlett-Packard, and CFO at Compaq Computer.
Patrick Dennis, who has served as CEO since 2024, will assume the role of Executive Chair after successfully executing the strategic plan, including launching Avaya Infinity and Avaya Nexus.
The Board expressed confidence that Clarke's operational expertise and customer-centric mindset will drive long-term growth and innovation.
Clarke aims to build on Avaya's legacy of delivering leading-edge solutions for complex enterprise environments and capitalise on emerging opportunities in enterprise communications.
Jeff Clarke brings more than three decades of leadership experience across enterprise software and technology businesses to his new role at Avaya. He joins the company from Insurity, a leading provider of cloud-based software for the insurance industry, where he served as Chief Executive Officer. Clarke has previously held CEO positions at Doxim, a customer communications management and engagement technology leader serving highly regulated markets, and Travelport, the intelligent infrastructure powering modern travel retail. His extensive career also includes senior operating and financial roles at industry giants such as CA Technologies, Hewlett-Packard, and Compaq Computer.
In addition to his operational expertise, Clarke brings significant board leadership experience, having served on the boards of Autodesk, Red Hat, Orbitz, and Compuware, among others.
"Jeff is a highly accomplished technology executive with a proven track record of leading and growing complex global software and technology businesses," said Patrick Bartels, Chair of the Avaya Board of Directors. "He brings deep operational expertise, a customer-centric mindset, and extensive experience driving innovation and transformation at scale. As Avaya builds on its momentum, the Board is confident Jeff's leadership will help advance the company's long-term growth and strengthen its position in enterprise communications."
"On behalf of the Board, I would also like to sincerely thank Patrick Dennis for his leadership and contributions to Avaya. Since his appointment in 2024, Patrick has led the successful execution of the strategic plan he and the Board established together – including deepening engagement with customers, launching Avaya Infinity and Avaya Nexus, and advancing AI capabilities to enable real-time insight and human-AI collaboration. At the same time, he has helped drive enhanced financial and operating performance during his tenure. With this strong foundation in place, the Board and Patrick agree this is a natural moment to bring in new leadership to support Avaya's next phase of growth. We are grateful for Patrick's ongoing partnership as he transitions to the Executive Chair role and look forward to continuing to benefit from his insight and experience," continued Mr. Bartels.
"Avaya is a trusted partner for leading global organizations looking to translate customer interactions into connections that drive real value, and I'm excited to join the company as Chief Executive Officer," said Mr. Clarke. "Having worked at a range of global software and technology businesses over the course of my career, I've seen firsthand how the strongest, most enduring companies are those that invest in innovation to meet their customers where they want to be, not just where they are. Avaya has done this for years, bringing leading-edge solutions to help companies in the most complex enterprise environments develop lasting customer relationships. I look forward to working alongside this talented team as we build on that foundation and capitalize on the opportunities across the enterprise communications landscape."
About Avaya
Avaya is an enterprise software leader that helps the world's largest organizations and government agencies forge unbreakable connections.
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