Workday has named Sarah Kennedy Ellis chief marketing officer, effective October 5, putting the former Google Cloud marketing leader in charge of its global marketing and communications organization.
Kennedy Ellis will report to Aneel Bhusri, Workday’s co-founder, CEO, and chair. The company said she will lead its brand and growth strategy as Workday expands its use and marketing of AI across HR, finance, and IT.
Kennedy Ellis Joins Workday From Google
Kennedy Ellis brings more than 20 years of marketing experience to Workday. She joins the company from Google, where she led global marketing for Google Cloud and Google Workspace.
Workday said Kennedy Ellis spent six years at Google Cloud. Before Google, she served as chief marketing officer of Adobe Experience Cloud and previously held the same role at Marketo. She was at Marketo when Adobe acquired the marketing automation company in 2018.
Bhusri pointed to Kennedy Ellis’ experience marketing enterprise technology as Workday increases its emphasis on AI.
“Sarah’s unique ability to translate complex technological shifts into compelling, customer-centric stories is exactly what we need,” Bhusri said.
Kennedy Ellis said in her own LinkedIn post that AI is changing how businesses operate but that technology needs to create value for people and solve business problems.
Workday Expands Its AI Positioning
The appointment comes as Workday presents AI as part of its core enterprise software strategy.
The company’s ERP platform combines finance, HR, planning, procurement, and operations, with Workday promoting embedded AI and AI agents across business processes. Its broader platform also covers IT and integration capabilities.
Workday says more than 11,500 organizations use its products worldwide, including more than 65% of the Fortune 500.
Kennedy Ellis will take responsibility for communicating that strategy as Workday competes across enterprise HR and financial software while expanding the role of AI within its platform.
What This Means for ERP Insiders
Marketing gets a direct line to the CEO. Kennedy Ellis will report directly to Workday co-founder and CEO Aneel Bhusri, putting the company’s global marketing and communications organization close to its executive leadership.
Workday brings in experience from outside traditional ERP. Kennedy Ellis has led marketing at Google Cloud, Adobe Experience Cloud, and Marketo, giving Workday a CMO with extensive cloud and SaaS experience as it competes across HR and finance software.
AI will remain central to Workday’s positioning. Workday specifically tasked Kennedy Ellis with helping shape its brand narrative and growth strategy for the AI era, reinforcing AI as a central part of how the company presents its platform to enterprise buyers.
