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Five9 (FIVN) sets orderly CEO handoff and new governance roles

Filing Impact
(Moderate)
Filing Sentiment
(Neutral)
Form Type
8-K

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Five9, Inc. outlined a planned leadership transition and updated employment terms for its current CEO, Michael Burkland. The Board approved an Amended and Restated Employment Transition Agreement that keeps him as CEO until Amit Mathradas assumes the role effective February 2, 2026.

Burkland will remain Chairman and a director through the 2026 annual meeting of stockholders, then shift to a one-year consulting role providing transition and advisory services. During his remaining CEO service, he keeps his $585,000 annual base salary (prorated), remains eligible for 2025 and 2026 executive bonus programs, and continues to participate in the company’s key employee severance plan and benefit programs.

His outstanding RSUs and PRSUs will continue to vest while he serves as employee, director, or consultant, with accelerated vesting upon a change in control, subject to continuous service. He will not receive new equity awards during the transition, and his Board and consulting compensation depend on signing company release agreements. The Board plans to appoint an independent Chairman no later than the 2026 annual meeting, and the Board size will be reduced by one when he leaves the Board.

Positive

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Insights

Five9 sets a structured CEO handoff with defined pay, vesting, and board changes.

The agreement provides an orderly transition from Michael Burkland to incoming CEO Amit Mathradas. Burkland remains CEO until February 2, 2026, then continues as Chairman through the 2026 annual meeting and serves as a consultant for one year afterward. This staged approach preserves leadership continuity while formally timing his exit from the Board and reducing the Board size by one seat.

Compensation terms keep Burkland’s annual base salary at $585,000 on a prorated basis and maintain his eligibility for the 2025 and 2026 executive bonus programs, plus Tier 1 severance benefits. Equity awards (RSUs and PRSUs) continue to vest, with accelerated vesting upon a change in control if he remains in service through that date, which aligns his incentives with transaction outcomes disclosed in the agreement.

The plan also specifies that Burkland will not receive new equity awards, and his Board and consulting compensation are contingent on signing standard release agreements at the CEO transition date and the 2026 annual meeting. The stated intention to appoint an independent Chairman by the 2026 annual meeting highlights a governance shift that separates the CEO and Chair roles once Burkland departs the Board.

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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
 CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 20, 2026
FIVE9, INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
 
Delaware001-3638394-3394123
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
(Commission File No.)
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
3001 Bishop Drive, Suite 350
San Ramon, CA 94583
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (925) 201-2000
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
_______________________________
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of Each ClassTrading Symbol(s)Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered
Common stock, par value $0.001 per shareFIVNThe NASDAQ Global Market
Indicated by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging Growth Company
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.    




Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
Amended and Restated Employment Transition Agreement

In connection with the appointment of Amit Mathradas as the new Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of Five9, Inc. (the “Company”), effective as of February 2, 2026, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company approved the Amended and Restated Employment Transition Agreement between the Company and our current CEO, Michael Burkland (the “A&R Transition Agreement”) on January 20, 2026 (the “Effective Date”). As of the Effective Date, the A&R Transition Agreement terminates, supersedes and replaces the Employment Transition Agreement, between the Company and Mr. Burkland, dated as of July 31, 2025 (the “Prior Agreement”).

Pursuant to the A&R Transition Agreement, Mr. Burkland will: (i) remain employed as the Company’s CEO from the Effective Date until the date on which Mr. Mathradas begins serving as CEO (the “CEO Transition Date” and, such period, the “CEO Period”); (ii) continue to serve as a director on the Board and as Chairman of the Board for the remainder of his current term (which ends at the Company’s 2026 annual meeting of stockholders (the “2026 Annual Meeting”)), subject to his earlier death, resignation or removal (the “Board Period”); and (iii) will continue to provide transition and advisory services as a consultant to the Company for a one-year period following the 2026 Annual Meeting (the “Consulting Period”). Mr. Burkland will not be nominated for, or stand for, re-election to the Board at the 2026 Annual Meeting. Effective upon Mr. Burkland’s transition from the Board, the total number of authorized directors constituting the Board, and the number of Class III directors, will be automatically reduced by one. The Board intends to appoint an independent Chairman of the Board no later than the date of the 2026 Annual Meeting.

Under the A&R Transition Agreement, during the CEO Period, Mr. Burkland will: (i) continue to receive his current annual base salary of $585,000, prorated for the portion of the year that he remains CEO; (ii) remain eligible for the bonus under the Company’s 2025 Executive Bonus Program previously approved by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Committee”), subject to the achievement of corporate performance targets that the Committee approved in February 2025; (iii) remain eligible for the bonus under the Company’s 2026 Executive Bonus Program (the “2026 Bonus Program”), prorated for the portion of 2026 that he remains CEO and subject to achievement of corporate performance targets to be approved by the Committee, in the ordinary course, under the 2026 Bonus Program; (iv) remain eligible to receive potential benefits under the Company’s 2019 Key Employee Severance Benefit Plan as a Tier 1 Participant in the event of a qualifying termination (not including his retirement) through the end of the CEO Period; and (v) remain eligible for Company sponsored employee benefits generally available to other executives of the Company.

While Mr. Burkland continues to provide services as an employee, director or consultant during the CEO Period, the Board Period or the Consulting Period, Mr. Burkland’s outstanding restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance-based restricted stock units (“PRSUs”) will continue to vest in accordance with their terms; provided that if a change in control of the Company occurs, Mr. Burkland’s then-outstanding RSUs will vest immediately prior to such change in control, and Mr. Burkland’s then-outstanding PRSUs will vest immediately prior to such change in control in accordance with their terms, subject in each case to Mr. Burkland’s continuous service through the date such change in control occurs. Mr. Burkland will not be eligible to receive any new equity awards during the CEO Period, the Board Period or the Consulting Period. Except as described in the following paragraph, Mr. Burkland shall not receive any other compensation for his service on the Board during the Board Period, including under the Company’s Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy.

Under the A&R Transition Agreement, Mr. Burkland will remain eligible for the continued health and welfare insurance benefits he was eligible to receive under the Prior Agreement (before the Prior Agreement was terminated, superseded and relaced by the A&R Transition Agreement).

As consideration for the transition and advisory services he provides during the Consulting Period, Mr. Burkland will be paid an hourly rate pursuant to an Independent Contractor Agreement to be entered into between the Company and Mr. Burkland on the date of the 2026 Annual Meeting (a copy of which is attached to the A&R Transition Agreement), subject to the terms and conditions of the A&R Transition Agreement and the Independent Contractor Agreement.

The compensation payable and benefits provided to Mr. Burkland during the Board Period and the Consulting Period are each contingent upon Mr. Burkland entering into (and not revoking) the Company’s standard release on the CEO Transition Date and the date of the 2026 Annual Meeting, respectively.

The foregoing description of the A&R Transition Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to its complete text, a copy of which has been attached as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.




Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
 
Exhibit No.  Description
10.1
Amended and Restated Employment Transition Agreement between Five9, Inc. and Michael Burkland dated January 20, 2026
104The cover page from this Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted in Inline XBRL.




SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 
   FIVE9, INC.
Date: January 21, 2026   By: /s/ Bryan Lee
    Bryan Lee
    
Chief Financial Officer



FAQ

What leadership changes does Five9 (FIVN) describe in this 8-K?

The company approved an Amended and Restated Employment Transition Agreement under which Michael Burkland remains CEO until Amit Mathradas becomes CEO on February 2, 2026, then continues as Chairman through the 2026 annual meeting and serves as a consultant for one year afterward.

How is Michael Burkland compensated during the CEO transition at Five9 (FIVN)?

During the CEO Period, Burkland keeps his current annual base salary of $585,000 on a prorated basis, remains eligible for the 2025 and 2026 executive bonus programs, continues as a Tier 1 participant in the 2019 Key Employee Severance Benefit Plan for qualifying terminations, and retains access to company benefits generally available to executives.

What happens to Michael Burkland’s equity awards under the new Five9 transition agreement?

While he serves as employee, director, or consultant, Burkland’s outstanding RSUs and PRSUs continue to vest under their terms, and if a change in control occurs, his then-outstanding RSUs and PRSUs will vest immediately before the change in control, subject to his continuous service to that date.

Will Michael Burkland receive new equity grants from Five9 during the transition?

No. The agreement states that Burkland will not be eligible to receive any new equity awards during the CEO Period, the Board Period, or the Consulting Period.

What board and governance changes are planned at Five9 (FIVN) under this agreement?

Burkland will not stand for re-election at the 2026 annual meeting. When he leaves the Board, the total number of authorized directors, including Class III directors, will be reduced by one, and the Board intends to appoint an independent Chairman no later than the 2026 annual meeting.

What conditions apply to Michael Burkland’s Board and consulting compensation at Five9?

Compensation and benefits during the Board Period and Consulting Period depend on Burkland entering into, and not revoking, the company’s standard release on the CEO transition date and on the date of the 2026 annual meeting.
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