Girish Mathrubootham, who founded Freshworks in 2010 with co-founder Shanmugam Krishnasamy, has announced his departure from the company. This move was announced by Mathrubootham himself through a LinkedIN post. Freshworks, which was initially called Freshdesk, was founded by Mathrubootham in 2010 in a bid to address issues leading to poor customer service experience.
“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,” said Mathrubootham through a LinkedIN post.
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He had stepped down as CEO of Freshworks in 2022 but continued to serve as Executive Chairman. “Today, I have decided to step down from my role as Executive Chairman of Freshworks effective December 1, 2025. 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 4 years ago and continues to provide unwavering support to Freshworks and its future,” he added.
The company was created to offer a better, more affordable helpdesk alternative to existing products. In September 2021, Freshworks debuted on the NASDAQ stock exchange with a valuation of $13 billion, which was termed as a landmark achievement for an Indian software-as-a-service (SaaS) company. “Freshworks has been more than a company for me — it has been a Kudumba, community, and a dream that came true because of an incredible team and supportive customers. I will always remain its proudest cheerleader,” stated Mathrubootham.
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He further stated that he would focus on Together Fund, venture capital firm dedicated to SaaS and AI startups, and would also be working with 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. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this unforgettable journey. Freshworks will always have my heart,” he said.
