Vanillasoft has appointed Alex Terry as Chief Executive Officer, with David Hood moving from Chief Executive Officer to Chairman of the Board.
Terry takes over with immediate effect. Hood will remain involved in the company's long-term strategy after leading the sales engagement software group since 2005.
The leadership change comes as Vanillasoft looks to expand the use of artificial intelligence in its products and grow with the support of private equity investor Tritium Partners.
Vanillasoft sells software that helps sales and fundraising teams manage outreach across phone, email, and SMS. Its platform includes lead routing, cadence management, and appointment setting, and can be used with an existing customer relationship management system or as a standalone tool.
One of the company's recent product additions is Caller Scorecard, which Hood pointed to as an example of its direction in AI.
"Building Vanillasoft alongside our incredible team has been the journey of a lifetime," said David Hood, Chairman of the Board, Vanillasoft. "With our recent launch of advanced AI capabilities like the Caller Scorecard, Vanillasoft is uniquely positioned to redefine sales engagement. As we scale further into AI-driven innovation, Alex Terry is the perfect leader to take the helm. His deep expertise in scaling SaaS organizations and technology platforms makes him uniquely qualified to accelerate our growth."
Track record
Terry brings more than two decades of experience in software and AI businesses backed by private equity and venture capital. He has led multiple technology companies through expansion, profitability, and exits.
His previous roles include Chief Executive Officer of Suralink and Chief Executive Officer of Conversica, an early company in AI-driven automation. Earlier in his career, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Become, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Zoomerang at MarketTools, Chief Executive Officer of NeoEdge Networks, and held senior roles at AOL/Time Warner.
According to Vanillasoft, Terry has generated more than USD $1.2 billion in enterprise value from USD $150 million in capital raised, led five exits, and taken four software-as-a-service companies and two AI companies to profitability and scale. The company also said he holds multiple patents in conversational AI and internet services.
Tritium Partners, which backs Vanillasoft, focuses on technology and services companies. The investment firm said it has raised nearly USD $1.5 billion in committed capital and works with businesses in software, data and analytics, fintech, logistics, and internet marketplaces.
Growth plans
In his first remarks after the appointment, Terry highlighted the company's position in sales technology and its relationship with Tritium.
"I am thrilled to join Vanillasoft at such a transformative moment in the sales technology landscape," said Alex Terry, Chief Executive Officer, Vanillasoft. "Vanillasoft has built an exceptional platform that combines high-velocity sales workflows with intelligent, data-driven performance management. Having spent time with Tritium Partners analyzing high-potential SaaS businesses, I know firsthand how rare and valuable Vanillasoft's market position is. I look forward to working closely with David, the Board, Tritium, and our global team to scale operations, invest in our AI product roadmap, and continue delivering massive value to our customers worldwide."
The appointment also shifts responsibilities at the top of the company. Hood is stepping back from day-to-day management after more than two decades as Chief Executive Officer, while Terry takes charge of operations and product direction.
For Vanillasoft, the change places an executive with a SaaS and AI background at the centre of its next phase as it seeks to broaden its reach in sales engagement software and expand its artificial intelligence tools.