Salesforce has hired Accenture’s tech and diversity champion Zahra Bahrololoumi as its Executive Vice President and CEO of UK & Ireland (UKI).
The global firm announced that Bahrololoumi, currently Accenture’s UK & Ireland Technology Lead, will join Salesforce in March 2021. At Accenture, she has been focusing on the next-generation systems in artificial intelligence, cloud computing and platforms underpinning new applications. At Salesforce, she will lead operations in both key growth markets of UK and Ireland.
“We are delighted to have appointed a business leader with the industry breadth and depth that Zahra will bring to the company,” said Salesforce President and Chief Revenue Officer, Gavin Patterson. “She’s an extraordinary executive with a passion for using technology to transform organisations and improve the state of our world. I look forward to her leading our UKI business through its next stage of growth.”
Salesforce is investing for UKI growth and expects to create over 1,000 new jobs over the next two years. Strong demand from customers in the UKI contributed to a more than 36% increase in EMEA Salesforce revenues; accounting for more than $1bn in the second quarter. Growth has been fuelled by businesses accelerating their digital transformation by “partnering with Salesforce as their trusted digital advisor”. Leading companies, such as Barclays, DPD and Unilever, use Salesforce to connect with their customers in a whole new way, said the company.
DRIVING POSITIVE CHANGE
Commenting on the new appointment, Bahrololoumi stated: “I am excited to join a company with such an incredible track record of driving positive change and success for its customers. Salesforce provides outstanding technology to help businesses digitally transform; and there is a unique opportunity for Salesforce to accelerate its growth in the UK and Ireland. Salesforce is also deeply committed to the role that businesses can play in society. I can’t wait to get started and support its game-changing work.”
Bahrololoumi also sits on the board of techUK and is Vice Chair of the Prince’s Trust’s Technology Leadership Group. As well as her passion for tech, she is hugely passionate about increasing diversity, inclusion and representation in tech. She recently highlighted the factors holding women back from leadership in tech, and why the industry is failing to retain them.
INCREASING REPRESENTATION IN TECH
“Factors, such as a lack of personal support, visible female leadership and workplace policies such as shared parental leave all mean that by the age of 35, women are unfortunately more likely to abandon their technology careers,” shared Bahrololoumi. She believes the key to retaining female talent in tech roles is to create an inclusive workplace culture. As a woman of colour, she has also raised the importance of racial diversity and equality in tech and leadership.
On the same day of announcing Bahroloumi’s appointment, Salesforce issued a statement on its progress towards increasing equality representation globally. Despite making progress, the firm admitted it still “had a lot more work to do” to increase representation and “create a workplace where everyone feels seen, heard, valued and empowered to succeed”.
Given its commitment to increasing representation, Salesforce have hired an outstanding tech and diversity champion with a strong track record of success to help achieve those targets. Check out Bahrololoumi’s views on why she believes the inclusive ‘culture makers’ are the ones driving change here.
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