At this point, we’ve already announced that Peter Zaitsev has assumed the role of Founder, while I have taken over as Chief Executive Officer at Percona. While Peter will be stepping back in his managerial capacity within the Executive Management Team (EMT), he will continue to be a big part of Percona both internally and within the broader Percona community.
These moves mark the completion of a transition that began almost two years ago when Peter asked me to take on the role of President of Percona on January 1, 2021. I had been with the company for about nine and a half years at that point, and while that tenure gave me an extended opportunity to see how a true leader can transform an organization, the last two years working by his side gave me an entirely new appreciation of what he was able to accomplish in the 16 years that he spent building this incredible company.
But now the time has come to turn the page and embark on a new chapter in the Percona story. I am humbled by the opportunity to serve as the next chief executive, and I know where the company must go. This transition is about securing Percona’s future. The change in our respective roles is a reflection of where Percona is headed and how we can optimize our respective strengths to help this great company continue to prosper. The Executive Management Team and I are ready for the coming challenges.
How far we’ve come
Percona has grown from a small, ambitious team with an idea to a 350-plus-employee organization that is a global leader in the open source database management space. Over the past two years alone, we’ve seen our headcount nearly double, our renewal rate increase by over 10%, and our trailing 12-month software downloads grow by 20% year-over-year.
That’s a whole lot of unequivocal success in a short period of time. And moving forward, I am certain we will continue to earn even greater victories. To ensure that’s the case, in the short-term, I will remain dedicated to delivering on our fourth-quarter goals while also forging a three-year strategy that is as strong as it possibly can be.
On a somewhat less tangible (but no less meaningful) level, my hopes are for Percona to retain the enthusiasm and urgency of a startup, while continuing to cultivate the discipline and profitability of a well-established company. And this change in our roles has been designed to achieve precisely that.
We remain committed to being the best of Percona
I’d like to thank Peter and Vadim for their confidence, trust, and ongoing support. And I’d like to thank all Perconians for continuing to embody our core values and principles day in and day out: Get Stuff Done; Putting the Customer First; Find a Better Way; Provide Quality & Value. If we can all continue to do those things, then I am certain that Percona’s greatest days are still to come.
Most of all, I’d like to thank Percona’s customers. Without you, there would obviously be no company. But more than that, your faith in us to partner with you to solve your biggest challenges has spurred us to be innovative and tireless in our efforts to advance the paradigm of database operations. Thank you for the lift you’ve given us over the past 16 years. Now we’d like to return the favor for the next 16!
–Ann
