Zendesk Names Craig Flower COO To Drive AI-First Execution

As enterprise software companies race to embed AI across products and workflows, leadership structures are being reshaped to prioritise execution over experimentation. Zendesk’s appointment of Craig Flower as Chief Operating Officer reflects that shift.

The customer service software provider announced that Flower will oversee customer engagement, operational performance, and the company’s broader transition towards an AI-first operating model. Based in Bangalore, Flower’s expanded remit brings technology, operations, and customer delivery under a single leadership lens.

From Technology Backbone To Operational Leadership

Flower is not new to Zendesk. Prior to this role, he served as Chief Information Officer, where he focused on modernising internal systems, improving cross-functional connectivity, and embedding AI and machine learning into service delivery and insights.

His elevation to COO signals Zendesk’s intent to translate internal technology maturity into external customer impact, particularly as enterprises look for faster, more measurable value from AI-powered service platforms.

“AI is fundamentally reshaping the future of customer service, demanding that all those serious about success operate with radical shifts in speed and efficiency,” said Tom Eggemeier, CEO, Zendesk. “Craig is an unmatched leader with a relentless commitment to our customers, operations and transformation who will bring teams together and turn our vision into measurable outcomes.”

Making AI Work Beyond Product Demos

In his new role, Flower will focus on maximising the value customers derive from Zendesk’s AI capabilities. This includes simplifying adoption, strengthening support models, and enabling knowledge sharing through a centre of excellence designed to bring customers and employees together around best practices.

The emphasis reflects a broader enterprise challenge: AI tools may be available, but adoption, integration, and operational alignment often lag behind.

“Modern tech COOs blend customer focus, business strategy, technology, and operational excellence,” said Craig Flower, Chief Operating Officer, Zendesk. “Zendesk has the right strategy and real momentum; we’re expanding what’s already working to drive alignment and execution week in and week out.”

Flower added that the company’s focus will remain on measurable outcomes rather than abstract AI ambition. “Strategy matters, but execution wins.”

Aligning Operations With Customer Outcomes

Beyond AI adoption, Flower will also be tasked with streamlining internal processes, aligning teams, and enabling faster decision-making across the organisation. The goal is to ensure that Zendesk’s operating model keeps pace with customer expectations in an increasingly automated service environment.

This includes improving how teams collaborate across sales, service, product, and technology, an area where many enterprise software companies struggle as they scale AI capabilities across departments.

Before joining Zendesk, Flower served as Chief Technology Officer at TriNet, where he led product replatforming initiatives, digitised core processes, and accelerated cloud adoption. Earlier, he spent over two decades at Hewlett-Packard as Chief Information Officer, driving IT and process transformation alongside business model innovation.

That background positions Flower to manage complexity at scale, particularly as Zendesk balances rapid AI innovation with the operational rigour demanded by large enterprise customers.

As customer service moves deeper into automation and intelligence-led workflows, Zendesk’s leadership bet is clear: the next phase of AI-led growth will be defined not by capability announcements, but by disciplined execution.