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Girish Mathrubootham to step down as Executive Chairman of Freshworks
Roxanne Austin will be the next Chairperson of Freshworks' Board.
Girish Mathrubootham began his career at HCL Cisco, then moved on to eFORCE as a senior software engineer.
Girish Mathrubootham, the founder of Freshworks, has announced that he will step down from his role as Executive Chairman effective December 1, 2025. Mathrubootham led the company from its inception in 2010 in Chennai to its landmark IPO on Nasdaq in 2021.
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In a heartfelt note shared on LinkedIn, he wrote, “Fifteen years ago, I started Freshworks from a small office in Chennai with nothing more than a dream, borrowed furniture, and a belief that we could build world-class software from India for the world. What began in that garage grew into something much bigger — a company that serves thousands of customers around the world, went public on Nasdaq, and proved that India can build global product companies.”
Explaining his decision to step down, he added, “This has not been an easy decision, but I believe it’s the right one for me at this stage. I would also like to take a moment to congratulate Roxanne Austin, who will be the next Chairperson of our Board. She believed in me and my vision for Freshworks over four years ago and continues to provide unwavering support to Freshworks and its future.”
Looking ahead, Mathrubootham plans to dedicate his time to Together Fund and mentoring the next generation of AI startups.
“I believe the world is at the beginning of a new era, and India has the talent and ambition to become a true Product Nation. That is the dream I want to dedicate my energy to.”
Mathrubootham began his career at HCL Cisco, then moved on to eFORCE as a senior software engineer. He later joined AdventNet, where he was promoted to Product Manager, and subsequently played a key role at Zoho Corporation, rising to the position of Vice President - Product Management before founding Freshworks.
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