Autodesk has announced that its board of directors has appointed Andrew Anagnost, current interim co-chief executive officer, and chief marketing officer, as the company's new president and CEO. He will also join Autodesk's board of directors.
Anagnost, who holds a PhD in aeronautical engineering and computer science from Stanford University, began his career at Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Company and as an NRC fellow at NASA Ames Research Center.
‘This is an exciting time for Autodesk, and I am thrilled to be taking on the CEO role,’ said Anagnost. ‘Autodesk transformed the design industry by bringing CAD to the PC 35 years ago, and in the last ten years became the clear technology leader. I can't wait to lead Autodesk into our next phase of growth, where we will combine business and product innovation to become an even more customer-focused company.’
Anagnost led engineering for Autodesk Inventor, the company's 3D model-based product design and engineering tool, growing revenue five-fold during his tenure. As senior vice president of business strategy and marketing, he led the company's successful transition to a subscription business model and drove adoption of Autodesk's cloud technologies.
Anagnost's appointment follows the February 2017 resignation of the company's former president and CEO, Carl Bass, and a comprehensive search process conducted by the board over the last four months.
Autodesk also announced that Amar Hanspal, senior vice president, chief product officer, and interim co-CEO, has decided to leave the company. Anagnost commented, ‘I want to thank Amar for his many important contributions to Autodesk's culture and product line over his 30 years with the company. He is a great colleague and friend, and he will be missed.’
