Manny Medina, the CEO of Seattle-based sales automation software company Outreach, has stepped down after a decade of leading the company. Abhijit Mitra, who joined the company last year as president of product and technology, will take over as the new CEO. In a LinkedIn post, Medina expressed confidence in Mitra’s ability to lead Outreach and cited his experience, vision, and passion for customer-oriented innovation as key factors in this decision. Mitra has held leadership positions at companies such as Comure, ServiceNow, SAP, and Oracle, bringing a wealth of experience to his new role.
Medina will transition to the role of executive chairman of the board, allowing him to continue contributing to the company’s strategic direction while also enabling Mitra to lead day-to-day operations. Medina expressed the difficulty of finding the right person to lead the company he helped build from the ground up, emphasizing the importance of vision, innovation, and growth in a leader. Outreach, which was founded in 2014, has more than 6,000 customers, including well-known companies like Zoom, Twilio, and McKesson. The company aims to help businesses enhance their seller workflows and close more deals, offering a range of sales automation tools and services.
Outreach has experienced significant growth and success since its founding, reaching a valuation of $4.4 billion in 2021 following a $200 million funding round. The company is ranked number one on the GeekWire 200 list of privately-held tech companies in the Pacific Northwest. However, Outreach has also faced challenges, including multiple rounds of layoffs as a response to a slowing venture capital industry. The company competes with other sales engagement platforms, such as Salesloft, Apollo, and Clari, as well as products offered by tech giants like Microsoft and Salesforce that aim to streamline sales processes.
Medina’s journey with Outreach began in 2014 when he co-founded the company with Wes Hather, Gordon Hempton, and Andrew Kinzer. Originally focused on recruiting software, the co-founders pivoted to sales automation tools, which proved to be successful. Outreach achieved unicorn status in 2019, reaching a valuation of $1 billion after a significant funding round. The company has garnered support from investors such as Sands Capital, Salesforce Ventures, Operator Collective, and others. Despite executive turnover, including the resignations of key employees like Amritansh Raghav and Min Zhu, Outreach continues to expand its customer base and deliver innovative solutions to help companies improve their sales processes.
