Big leadership changes are coming to Acquia, the Boston-based provider of content management software.
Long-time CEO Tom Erickson is stepping down while co-founder and CTO Dries Buytaert will take on more of a leadership role, Erickson and Buytaert announced in two separate blog posts on Tuesday. However, that doesn't mean Buytaert will be taking over Erickson's role. Instead, Erickson will remain as CEO until they find a replacement who will work with Buytaert for the company's new "Office of the CEO."
"This is a perfect time for Dries to assume a larger role."
Under the new leadership structure, Buytaert said he will focus on product strategy and development, technology partnerships and acquisitions, and company-wide hiring duties. Erickson and his successor, in the meantime, will focus on sales and marketing, customer support and general and administrative functions.
Once Acquia finds Erickson's successor, Erickson will remain on the company's board of directors, where he will now serve as chairman. After joining the company's board, Erickson became CEO in 2009, taking over from the company's original CEO and co-founder, Jay Batson, who is now a fellow at Sigma Prime Ventures.
"The time for these changes felt right to both of us," Buytaert said. "We spent the first decade of Acquia laying down the foundation of a solid business model for going out to the market and delivering customer success with Drupal – Tom's core strengths from his long career as a technology executive."
"Acquia's next phase will be focused on building confidently on this foundation with more product innovation, new technology acquisitions and more strategic partnerships – my core strengths as a technologist," Buytaert added.
Since it was founded in 2007, the company has grown to more than 750 employees and over $150 million in annual revenue, Buytaert and Erickson said in their posts. That, they said, leaves the company in a good position for its future.
"With this success behind us, this is a perfect time for Dries to assume a larger role. He has a vision for digital experience management that one industry analyst recently called 'game changing,' Erickson said. "He’s learned a tremendous amount about the importance of customer success, business strategy and the mechanics of running a company."
