PORTLAND, Ore. – May 24, 2022 – NAVEX, the global leader in integrated risk and compliance management software, announced today that Sean Thompson has been appointed as the company’s new President and Chief Executive Officer. Thompson, an experienced SaaS technology leader, will succeed CEO Bob Conlin, who will assume the role of NAVEX’s Executive Chairman.
Thompson joined NAVEX as President and Chief Operating Officer in September of 2021 as the result of a focused and purposeful successor search by Conlin and the company’s board.
Thompson’s professional experience prior to NAVEX includes ten years at Microsoft – where he held a variety of roles, culminating with group product management for its $8 billion database business – followed by a series of leaderships roles at SAP, where he rose to the position of executive vice president for the company’s Business Network. Thompson was also the founder of a successful AI startup, Nuiku, which sold to Nortek (NASDAQ: NRTK) in 2016. He began his career at Deloitte Consulting where he quickly become one of the firm’s youngest practice leads for ERP.
“After working closely with Sean over the past nine months, I am highly confident that Sean will further accelerate NAVEX’s strong record of growth,” said Bob Conlin. “Sean’s passion for our mission, our employees and our customers is clear, and his successful track record of scaling enterprise software and SaaS businesses will position NAVEX for continued success.”
“We are thrilled by the opportunity to work with Sean and Bob on the next leg of the NAVEX journey. Under Bob’s leadership, NAVEX has continued to prosper as the market leader in governance, risk and compliance SaaS for the world’s leading enterprises. We have every confidence that Sean will accelerate the company’s important work helping organizations manage risk, promote ethical workplace cultures and address ESG through the NAVEX One platform,” said Mark Fariborz, Partner at BC Partners.
“Sean is a seasoned executive with over two decades of experience building some of the most innovative SaaS organizations and we are excited to partner with him and Bob,” added Martin Taylor, Managing Director at Vista Equity Partners and President of OneVista.
“It is an honor to succeed Bob as CEO,” said Thompson. “I am energized by the opportunity to lead a team of motivated and talented individuals whose first priority is to serve our customers. With this focus in mind, and a strong technology platform to build on, NAVEX is assured of continued success.”
Founded in 2012, NAVEX has demonstrated 10 years of consistently strong financial performance and growth under Conlin’s leadership. During that time, NAVEX completed 8 acquisitions, grew from 168 to more than 1,200 employees, and expanded operations globally to now include over 13,000 customers. Conlin also led the strategy to extend NAVEX’s solution offerings beyond Ethics and Compliance solutions to include Integrated Risk Management (IRM) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) software, and to integrate all NAVEX solutions into the NAVEX One platform.
NAVEX’s success is the result of a defined strategy combined with disciplined execution that focuses on customer success. With customers as the true north star, the company’s growth is predicated on a combination of product innovation, intentional geographic expansion and savvy technology acquisitions. This approach will continue under Thompson’s leadership with support from Conlin and the company’s board.
About NAVEX
NAVEX is the recognized leader in risk and compliance management software and services, empowering thousands of customers around the world to manage and mitigate risks with confidence. NAVEX’s mission is to help customers promote ethical, inclusive workplace cultures, protect their brands and preserve the environment through sustainable business practices. For more information, visit
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Media Contact:
Jillian Young
NAVEX-V2@v2comms.com