Jeff Clarke has been named CEO of Ayaya, a Morristown-based enterprise software
company that provides communications solutions for large organizations and
government agencies, the company announced Monday.
Clarke will succeed Patrick Dennis, who will move into the role of executive chair.
Clarke has more than three decades of leadership experience in enterprise software
and technology.
He joins Avaya from Insurity, a cloud-based software provider for the insurance
industry, where he served as CEO. He has also served as CEO of Doxim, a customer
communications management company, and Travelport, a travel retail technology
company, and has held senior operating and financial roles including chief operating
officer at CA Technologies, executive vice president of global operations at Hewlett-
Packard and chief financial officer at Compaq Computer.
Clarke has also served on the boards of Autodesk, Red Hat, Orbitz and Compuware,
among others.
“Avaya is a trusted partner for leading global organizations looking to translate customer interactions into connections that drive real value, and I’m excited to join the company as Chief Executive Officer,” he said. “Having worked at a range of global software and technology businesses over the course of my career, I’ve seen firsthand how the strongest, most enduring companies are those that invest in innovation to meet their customers where they want to be, not just where they are.
“Avaya has done this for years, bringing leading-edge solutions to help companies in
the most complex enterprise environments develop lasting customer relationships. I
look forward to working alongside this talented team as we build on that foundation and
capitalize on the opportunities across the enterprise communications landscape.”
Avaya Board Chair Patrick Bartels applauded the announcement.
“Jeff is a highly accomplished technology executive with a proven track record of
leading and growing complex global software and technology businesses,” he said. “He brings deep operational expertise, a customer-centric mindset, and extensive
experience driving innovation and transformation at scale. As Avaya builds on its
momentum, the Board is confident Jeff’s leadership will help advance the company’s long-term growth and strengthen its position in enterprise communications.”
Bartels also credited Dennis, who was appointed CEO in 2024, for executing the
strategic plan he and the board established, including deepening customer engagement, launching Avaya Infinity and Avaya Nexus, and advancing artificial
intelligence capabilities.
“With this strong foundation in place, the Board and Patrick agree this is a natural
moment to bring in new leadership to support Avaya’s next phase of growth,” Bartels said. “We are grateful for Patrick’s ongoing partnership as he transitions to the Executive Chair role and look forward to continuing to benefit from his insight and experience.”
