Freshworks Appoints Ryan Manning as Chief Product and Technology Officer
Rhea-AI Summary
Freshworks (NASDAQ: FRSH) announced the appointment of Ryan Manning as Chief Product and Technology Officer, effective August 10, 2026, reporting to CEO Dennis Woodside. Manning will succeed Srini Raghavan, who is leaving Freshworks to pursue an entrepreneurial venture.
The role unifies Freshworks’ product and technology strategy under one executive as the company expands with mid-market and agile enterprises. Existing CTO Murali Swaminathan will report to Manning. He will lead strategy and the global product and engineering roadmap across Freshworks’ AI, IT and customer experience products from the San Mateo headquarters.
Positive
- Appointment of new Chief Product and Technology Officer effective August 10, 2026
- Product and technology leadership unified under one executive for FRSH
- Experienced leader with backgrounds at ServiceNow, FreeAgent CRM and BMC Helix
Negative
- Departure of previous product leader Srini Raghavan introduces leadership transition
- No immediate financial or operational impact metrics disclosed for this leadership change
Key Figures
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 08 | Earnings date notice | Neutral | -2.0% | Company scheduled its Q2 2026 financial results announcement for August 4 |
| Jun 30 | Customer contract | Positive | -0.9% | Vanquis selected Freshservice for its service management modernization |
| May 27 | AI research release | Negative | -0.7% | Research reported AI budget losses caused by complexity among mid-market companies |
| May 20 | Customer awards | Positive | +0.9% | Company announced winners of its inaugural 2026 Global Customer Awards |
| May 14 | AI product launch | Positive | +2.7% | Freshworks introduced Freddy AI Agent Studio within Freshservice |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Historical responses were mixed: positive announcements sometimes aligned with gains, while other positive or neutral items preceded declines.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Manning joins to lead the next phase of Freshworks' product innovation and strategy
SAN MATEO, Calif., July 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Freshworks Inc. (NASDAQ: FRSH), the AI-powered, unified service operations platform, announced today that Ryan Manning will join the company on August 10th as its Chief Product and Technology Officer, reporting to CEO Dennis Woodside. Manning succeeds Srini Raghavan, who is departing Freshworks to pursue an entrepreneurial venture.
The appointment unifies product and technology strategy under one executive as Freshworks grows its footprint with mid-market and agile enterprises. Murali Swaminathan continues as Chief Technology Officer, reporting to Manning.
"Ryan has the unique ability to quickly turn what customers need into products that win in the market," said Dennis Woodside, CEO of Freshworks. "As AI changes how quickly and how deeply our customers can put new capability to work, we're excited to bring product and engineering back together under a single organization so we can move with more speed and less friction."
In this role, Manning will set product and technology strategy across Freshworks' AI, IT and customer experience products. He will oversee the global product roadmap and engineering organization behind Freshworks’ platform that is fast to deploy, intuitive to use, and enables every employee to be more productive.
“AI is changing what businesses should expect from service software," said Ryan Manning, incoming Chief Product and Technology Officer of Freshworks. “Having built service management products across startups and global software businesses, I believe Freshworks is uniquely positioned to lead the shift – combining powerful capability with rapid impact in a way the market needs right now."
Manning joins Freshworks after roles spanning startups and global software companies, including helping build and scale ServiceNow in the years surrounding its IPO and co-founding FreeAgent CRM, now Servis.ai. Most recently, Manning led the product team at BMC Helix, where he was recruited to be Chief Product Officer during a pivotal period of transformation. He brought product and technology closer together, sharpened the company’s strategy around ServiceOps and agentic AI, and helped position the business for its next chapter.
Manning holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance from San Diego State University, where he serves on the board of the university's Computer Science program. He will be based at Freshworks' San Mateo headquarters.
About Freshworks Inc.
Freshworks is the AI-powered, unified service operations platform that is fast to deploy, intuitive to use, and enables every employee to be more productive. We offer powerful governance and scale, without the operational drag of legacy platforms. Organizations including Bridgestone, New Balance, S&P Global, and Sony Music trust Freshworks to deliver quality employee and customer service and manage efficient technology operations. For the latest updates, visit freshworks.com and follow Freshworks on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook.
© 2026 Freshworks Inc. All Rights Reserved. Freshworks, Freshservice, Freddy AI, and any associated logos are trademarks of Freshworks Inc. All other company, brand, and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Nothing in this press release should be construed as an approval, endorsement, or sponsorship by any third parties of Freshworks Inc. or any aspect of this press release.
Press Contact: pr@freshworks.com
