WSO2 Founder Dr. Sanjiva Weerawarana to Step Down as CEO

WSO2 Founder and CEO Dr Sanjiva Weerawarana is stepping down from the role of CEO. Chief Revenue Officer Devaka Randeniya will become the acting Chief Executive Officer in June. He will lead the firm until the Board complete the search for a new CEO. Randeniya joined the firm in November 2006 as its first sales rep and will lead the transition period.

The Board is leading the search for a new CEO rather than Weerawarana because the firm was sold in 2024 to EQT for around $600 million.

Jonas Persson, Chairman of the Board and Senior Advisor at EQT, said, “We are grateful to Sanjiva for his vision and leadership in building WSO2 into a globally recognised technology company. With a strong leadership team, a clear strategy, and growing demand for our platform, WSO2 is well-positioned to continue its momentum. The Board is focused on ensuring a smooth transition and identifying the right leader for the company’s next phase.”

Weerawarana commented, “It has been an incredible journey building WSO2 over the past two decades. I am proud of what we’ve accomplished and confident in the team and strategy driving the company forward. WSO2’s role in enabling the next generation of AI-driven, agent-based digital experiences is only just beginning.”

Moving forward

WSO2 says demand for its platform remains strong as enterprises work to securely handle increasingly complex digital interactions, including those involving emerging AI agents.

• Integrate, manage, and govern digital interactions securely
• Provide a control plane for data, identities, and AI-driven processes
• Help organisations move faster without losing visibility or control
• Support sovereignty across environments as digital ecosystems grow more complex

It recently launched an Agent Manager to bring identity, governance, and scale to enterprise agents. It aims to help manage the agent sprawl that enterprises are now experiencing.

Earlier this year, it announced a new pricing model for governments as it looked to make the fees that central and local government departments pay, proportional to the average citizen’s salary.

These innovations and decisions can be seen at the WSO2Con North America 2026 in Austin, Texas, between May 2-22, 2026. In one of his last acts as CEO he will present on stage in the Day 2 keynote session to talk about Building the Agentic Enterprise. The WSO2 leadership will also explain the future direction of the company.

Enterprise Times: What does this mean?

This is not the first time that Weerawarana has left WSO2; however, it seems to have caught EQT by surprise with no new CEO lined up. Weerawarana first left WSO2 as an employee in 2018. He remained on the Board until he was appointed CEO in January 2020. After 20 years, it seems that this time he is leaving for good.

The announcement did not say whether he was remaining on the Board. After 20 years of involvement with the firm, now under new ownership, it seems likely that he is retiring. For how long, though!

For EQT, it needs to identify a new CEO to lead the firm. In the interim, can Randeniya rise to the challenge and make the case for the role permanently?

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