OpenText Corporation, a cloud and AI-focused information management company, has appointed James McGourlay as Interim Chief Executive Officer. McGourlay, who has been with the company for over 25 years and most recently served as Executive Vice President of International Sales, succeeds Mark J. Barrenechea, who stepped down from his roles as CEO, CTO, and Vice Chairman of the Board. To support the transition, the Board appointed P. Thomas Jenkins as Executive Chair and Chief Strategy Officer, while also forming an Executive Committee comprising senior leaders across operations, finance, sales, and legal. The Board has launched a formal CEO search process led by Independent Directors, with the assistance of an executive search firm. In addition, Savinay Berry, formerly Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer, has been named Chief Technology Officer.
Commenting on the transition, Jenkins said, “On behalf of the Board, I thank Mark for 13 years of dedicated service at OpenText and we wish him the best. Now is the right time for this leadership transition, and James is the ideal leader to serve as Interim CEO. I look forward to working with him and our Executive Leadership Team to ensure that OpenText continues to advance its strategy.” McGourlay added, “I believe in the opportunities ahead for OpenText and will work diligently in the CEO role on an interim basis.”