Mike Burkland, CEO of Five9, has announced his retirement, stating that it has been a "privilege and an honor to lead this amazing team of Five9ers."
The news broke during Five9’s Q2 2025 earnings call.
In stepping away, Burkland will end a combined stint of 12 years at the helm, where he has played a central role in turning Five9 into one of the most prominent names in contact center tech.
Under his leadership, Five9 grew from a modest operation with fewer than 100 employees to one of several thousand, eventually reaching a market cap of $11.51BN in late 2020.
While that figure may have sunk since then, it is quite a journey for a startup battling it out at the forefront of a competitive market that includes AWS, Genesys, and NiCE.
When discussing why he stepped down, Burkland pointed to his ongoing health issues and cancer treatment, with the move allowing him to "get back to a more balanced lifestyle."
However, he was quick to point out that he has no intention of slowing down during the last period of his tenure.
"Until we appoint my successor, I'm committed to working my tail off as we continue to transform Five9 to drive top-line growth and bottom-line profitability," he said.
As you know, we have made a series of changes over the past several quarters to position the company for the future, and we are beginning to see the positive impact of those changes in our results, including strong bookings, AI momentum, and increased profitability.
During the call, Burkland confirmed that a "comprehensive search” for the successor had already begun.
Following the appointment of a new CEO, Burkland will transition to solely serving as the Executive Chairman of the Five9 Board (a position he currently holds), where he will help to oversee the "smooth transition" to his successor.
But what exactly will a post-Burkland Five9 look like?
What's Next for Fiv9?
While it is clear to see that Burkland remains fully committed to the company, his retirement is likely to add credence to the rumors circling that Five9 may be gearing up for a sale.
Indeed, the flames had already been fanned with the announcement earlier this week that three senior Five9 executives had exited the company.
A source told CX Today that Niki Hall, Chief Marketing Officer, Jim Doran, EVP of Corporate Strategy, and Tricia Yankovich, Head of HR, were just the first to be confirmed, with broader layoffs expected soon.
If confirmed, this would mark Five9’s third round of layoffs in under a year, following workforce reductions of seven percent in August 2024 and four percent in May 2025.
Prior to 2024, the company had never initiated layoffs in its history.
Burkland addressed the recent layoffs during the earnings call, explaining that the decision was made as part of a strategic restructuring to improve efficiency. He said:
"It's a bit about cost efficiency, but it's also about creating better ownership and alignment across these critical functions."
