Adam Selipsky is stepping down as the CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS) after three years in the role. This is part of an informal plan that he and Amazon CEO Andy Jassy agreed upon when he returned to the company in 2021 from his previous role as Tableau CEO. Selipsky will be succeeded by Matt Garman, the current AWS senior vice president of sales and marketing. This news was unexpected to the outside world, but it was part of a larger plan that Selipsky and Jassy had discussed prior to his return to Amazon.
During Selipsky’s tenure, AWS experienced significant growth in revenue and market share, reaching a $100 billion annual revenue run rate and maintaining a 31% market share in the cloud market. Selipsky’s time as CEO was marked by the later stages of the pandemic and the rise of generative artificial intelligence, which increased demand for cloud services and put AWS in a position where it needed to catch up with competitors such as Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud. Selipsky expressed his desire to step down at this time to spend more time with family, recharge, and reflect on his future opportunities.
Matt Garman, who has been with Amazon for nearly 18 years, will take over as the new CEO of AWS effective June 3. Garman has a strong background within AWS, having worked in various roles across the organization, including product management, sales, marketing, and global services. He is highly regarded for his customer focus, product leadership, problem-solving skills, and ability to drive innovation within the company. Jassy expressed his confidence in Garman’s abilities to lead AWS into the future and continue its growth and innovation.
In emails to employees, Jassy thanked Selipsky for his leadership during a challenging time, and Selipsky expressed his mixed emotions about leaving AWS after nearly 15 years with the company. He highlighted the accomplishments of the team under his leadership and expressed his confidence in the future of AWS under Garman’s leadership. Garman also shared his excitement about taking on the role of CEO and expressed optimism for the future of the company, emphasizing the importance of teamwork, innovation, and customer focus.
As part of the transition, Garman will be making some organizational adjustments in the coming weeks. He also plans to host a series of AWS Town Halls to connect with employees and discuss the future direction of the company. The announcement of Selipsky’s departure and Garman’s appointment comes at a critical time for AWS as it continues to face stiff competition in the cloud market. However, with Garman’s leadership and the strong foundation laid by Selipsky, AWS is well-positioned to maintain its leadership position and drive further growth and innovation in the industry.
