Autodesk Names New CFO as It Looks to Do More Deals -- Update
February 25 2021 - 8:58PM
Dow Jones News
By Nina Trentmann
Software firm Autodesk Inc. has poached the finance chief of
SurveyMonkey to fill its void for the role of chief financial
officer.
San Rafael, Calif.-based Autodesk on Thursday said it had
rehired Debbie Clifford, who worked at the company in various
financial leadership roles until June 2019, including as vice
president for financial planning and analysis. She then left to
become the CFO of SVMK Inc., the parent company of the online
survey company. Ms. Clifford is set to take on her new role on
March 8.
At Autodesk, she will succeed the company's former CFO R. Scott
Herren, who took over responsibility for the finances of network
equipment giant Cisco Systems Inc. in December. He had been
Autodesk's CFO since 2014.
Autodesk Chief Executive Andrew Anagnost said the company had
been grooming Ms. Clifford for the role but wanted her to gain
experience as CFO before elevating her to the role. "You have to
leave to rise," Mr. Anagnost said.
The company, which in recent years shifted to a
subscription-based business model, will rely on Ms. Clifford to
help manage its investments, Mr. Anagnost said. She will also
oversee its finance, accounting, tax, treasury, operations and
investor relations departments.
Autodesk, which on Wednesday announced a $1 billion deal to
acquire U.S. water infrastructure company Innovyze, is looking to
do more deals, Mr. Anagnost said. "She will be part of more deals
like that," he said.
Innovyze offers software and technology that governments,
utilities, engineering firms and corporations use to manage water
and wastewater systems, drainage, distribution, flood modeling and
other services.
Autodesk on Thursday reported revenue of $1.04 billion for the
quarter ended Jan. 31, up 16% compared with the prior-year period.
Operating income during the quarter was $184 million, compared with
$134 million during the same period a year ago.
The company also appointed a new chief technology officer, Raji
Arasu. Ms. Arasu has 25 years of experience focused primarily on
e-commerce, marketplaces and payment systems, Autodesk said.
SurveyMonkey named its Chief Executive Zander Lurie as interim
CFO while it searches for a successor to Ms. Clifford.
"Accepting the CFO position at Autodesk is like coming home,"
Ms. Clifford said, according to the hiring announcement.
Write to Nina Trentmann at Nina.Trentmann@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 25, 2021 20:43 ET (01:43 GMT)
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