Aneel Bhusri co-founded Workday in 2005 with PeopleSoft veteran Dave Duffield and built it into one of the largest enterprise-software companies, providing cloud-based human-resources and finance systems to thousands of large employers, universities, and government agencies. He led the company as CEO or co-CEO for most of its history before stepping back to executive chairman in 2024.
In February 2026, Bhusri returned as CEO, with Carl Eschenbach stepping down after roughly two years and moving to a strategic-advisor role. The change came after Workday's stock fell sharply - shedding tens of billions in market value - and the board turned back to its co-founder to steer the company's pivot to artificial intelligence. Reporting on the transition noted Bhusri received a pay package valued at around $139 million tied to the turnaround.
Beyond Workday, Bhusri is a longtime partner at the venture-capital firm Greylock Partners, giving him influence across the enterprise-technology startup ecosystem. Forbes has estimated his net worth in the range of roughly $2.5 to $3 billion, derived mainly from his Workday stake and his venture investments.
What they control
- Workday: cloud HR and finance software used by a large share of major U.S. employers
- The Workday board, which he chairs, and the company's AI strategy he returned to lead
- A significant founder's equity stake in Workday
- Influence over enterprise startups as a partner at Greylock Partners
- Stewardship of payroll, hiring, and financial data for thousands of organizations
Key institutions & holdings
Co-founded 2005; returned as CEO in February 2026.
Venture firm backing enterprise and infrastructure startups.
Where Bhusri and Duffield worked before founding Workday.
Key facts
- Co-founded Workday in 2005 with Dave Duffield after both left PeopleSoft.
- Led Workday as CEO or co-CEO for most of its history before becoming executive chairman in 2024.
- Returned as CEO in February 2026 as Carl Eschenbach stepped down amid a steep stock decline.
- Reporting valued his turnaround pay package at about $139 million.
- Also a partner at Greylock Partners; Forbes estimates his net worth around $2.5-3 billion.
Timeline
- 2005Co-founds Workday with Dave Duffield.
- 2012Workday goes public in a major enterprise-software IPO.
- 2022Carl Eschenbach joins as co-CEO alongside Bhusri.
- 2024-02Bhusri moves to executive chairman; Eschenbach becomes sole CEO.
- 2026-02Bhusri returns as CEO as Eschenbach steps down to advise.
Controversies
CEO whiplash and lost value · 2026
Bhusri's 2026 return followed a sharp slide in Workday's stock that erased tens of billions in market value under the prior leadership, raising governance questions about the handoff.
Outsized turnaround pay · 2026
His roughly $139 million pay package, tied to reviving the share price, drew scrutiny over executive compensation at a company that had just cut costs.
Data stewardship and AI · ongoing
Workday holds sensitive HR and payroll data for thousands of employers, and its push to embed AI in hiring and management has prompted fairness and privacy concerns.
Network
- Dave DuffieldCo-founderFounded both PeopleSoft and Workday with Bhusri.
- Carl EschenbachPredecessor as CEOStepped down as CEO in 2026 to become a strategic adviser.
- Greylock PartnersVenture firmWhere Bhusri invests in enterprise startups.
Why this matters
Workday quietly runs the systems that decide how millions of people are hired, paid, reviewed, and managed. As its co-founder returns to push AI deeper into those processes, choices about automation and algorithmic management - made inside one dominant software vendor - shape the day-to-day working conditions and privacy of employees far beyond any single company.