In a previous article, I suggested that Salesforce’s strategy of acquiring established enterprise businesses not only expands its technological capabilities but also cultivates a wealth of experienced leadership. Recent news from the company appears to validate this observation, as they have announced the advancement of David Schmaier, formerly CEO of Vlocity, to the roles of president and chief product officer.

Schmaier joined Salesforce last year following the acquisition of his company, Vlocity, in a deal valued at $1.33 billion. This acquisition proved to be a strong fit, as Vlocity specialized in Salesforce-based solutions tailored for specific sectors including financial services, healthcare, energy, utilities, and the public/nonprofit arena.

Consequently, Schmaier possessed a thorough understanding of both the product offerings and the Salesforce organization. He was appointed CEO of the Salesforce Industries division last June, a role established subsequent to the Vlocity acquisition. He articulated the rationale behind this connection during a conversation last year following his initial promotion:

Brent Leary, the founder and principal analyst at CRM Essentials, believes Schmaier’s background in developing Vlocity naturally positions him for this promotion, considering the company’s trajectory and broader industry trends. “We’ve observed over the past few years the increasing significance of developing solutions focused on specific industries for the leading companies in this field, and Schmaier’s advancement underscores this point, demonstrating the importance of vertical markets to their platform and to Salesforce’s future,” he explained.

In a published Q&A on the Salesforce website accompanying the promotion announcement, Schmaier discussed the difficulties organizations encountered in the past year. “2020 undoubtedly presented significant challenges. We are now functioning in a fully digital environment, with work occurring from any location, and a return to previous norms is unlikely, nor is it desirable. A positive outcome has been witnessing the innovative measures companies have taken when compelled to connect with their customers in fundamentally new ways,” he stated.

In his elevated position, Schmaier will be responsible for identifying strategies to facilitate this continued innovation.

It is also noteworthy that Salesforce has recently experienced some changes within its executive leadership. Today, the company also revealed the retirement of long-serving CFO Mark Hawkins, who will be succeeded by Amy Weaver, previously the company’s chief legal officer. Additionally, last week Salesforce appointed Clara Shih, a co-founder and former CEO of Hearsay Social, to lead Salesforce Service Cloud.