New Delhi: Zendesk has appointed Shashi Upadhyay as its President of Product, Engineering, and AI, marking a strategic move to strengthen its capabilities in artificial intelligence and customer service technology. Upadhyay, a seasoned technology leader, will oversee the company’s product management, engineering, AI, design, and trust & security functions.
Upadhyay joins Zendesk after a tenure at Google, where he managed key product portfolios, including Google Ads and Performance Max, one of Google’s rapidly growing offerings. Prior to Google, he founded Lattice Engines, an AI-based predictive analytics platform, which was acquired by Dun & Bradstreet in 2019. His contributions to Dun & Bradstreet’s public offering in 2020 and his subsequent involvement as an investor in various technology startups underline his extensive industry expertise.
In his new role, Upadhyay aims to position Zendesk at the forefront of AI-driven innovation in customer and employee service. His focus will be on integrating AI capabilities into Zendesk’s offerings to enhance customer experiences while maintaining a cohesive and agile product strategy.
“AI is reshaping how businesses approach customer and employee engagement,” said Upadhyay. “Zendesk’s legacy and scale provide a strong foundation to lead this transformation.”
Zendesk CEO Tom Eggemeier stated that the company’s ongoing shift towards AI-powered solutions aligns with Upadhyay’s expertise in building transformative products. Under his leadership, Zendesk aims to deliver advanced solutions that balance cutting-edge AI tools with human-centric design principles.
This appointment comes as Zendesk intensifies its efforts to address evolving customer needs through technology, emphasizing the role of AI in simplifying and personalizing service interactions. The company is expected to leverage Upadhyay’s experience to refine its product portfolio and strengthen its position in the competitive customer service technology market.
