- Salesforce poached its newest senior executive hire from within its own house, hiring the board’s lead independent director Robin Washington, 62, on Wednesday. Washington will serve as president and chief operating and financial officer, and her executive role means she may be leaving other boards where she serves as a director, including Alphabet and Honeywell International.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff looked around the boardroom and it appears he zeroed in on someone in the room—lead independent board member Robin Washington.
The tech giant was in need of a new chief financial and operating officer, and Washington’s expertise offered up a combination of both. The $333 billion Salesforce announced on Wednesday that Washington will take on a new executive role as president and chief operating and financial officer (COFO) starting in March. She’ll report up to Benioff.
“I am thrilled to welcome Robin as COFO at this incredible moment when Al agents are redefining the workforce,” said Marc Benioff, chair and CEO of Salesforce. “Robin has been a trusted partner, advisor and a key architect of our strategy as we accelerate the rise of Agentforce — the first digital labor platform. Her operational mastery, financial expertise, and strategic vision make her the perfect leader to guide Salesforce through this transformational shift. As we look ahead, I’m excited to work with Robin, in this newly created role, and with our incredible Salesforce executive bench, to bring this significant Agentforce opportunity to life.”
Washington, 62, has served on the board since 2013 and as its lead director — a role on a corporate board that serves as an independent counterweight to the CEO and chairman — since 2022. She’ll parachute into dual roles, including one previously held by COO Brian Millha m, who will retire in May and transition into an advisory role, the company said. Salesforce in August announced CFO Amy Weaver would step down as president and CFO after her successor was named. She’ll serve as a special advisor to Benioff through April 2026.
According to her offer letter, pending board approval Washington will be offered a compensation package with a total potential maximum value of $38.5 million, assuming maximum payouts, achievement of goals, and that she remain at Salesforce. That total potential value includes a base salary of $1.1 million; an annual cash bonus of up to $1.9 million; a one-time sign-on bonus of $8.5 million in cash that she’ll have to repay if she leaves within two years; a performance-based equity grant with a potential maximum value of $18 million; and, a time-based restricted-stock unit grant valued at $9 million.
Washington’s new COFO role likely means she will be extremely busy, even given her extensive executive track record. She previously served as CFO at Hyperion Solutions and Gilead Sciences, and serves on the boards of Alphabet, Honeywell International, Vertiv Holdings, and private biotech company Eikon Therapeutics. It’s unclear if she’ll step away from those board roles. Salesforce did not respond to a request for comment on Washington’s board service.
According to Alphabet’s corporate governance guidelines, Washington will be required to notify the chair of her new role. Alphabet considers a board member as serving on too many other board seats or being “overboarded,” if the total exceeds four corporate boards, including Alphabet. Honeywell International has the same limits in its governance guidelines. Vertiv doesn’t have a limit on board roles but requires directors to notify the board chair and chair of the board’s nominating committee in advance of taking a new outside board seat.
“I am deeply honored to step into this role at such a defining moment for Salesforce and the entire industry,” said Washington. “Having worked closely with Marc and the executive team for over a decade, I couldn’t be more excited to help lead Salesforce and our global community of employees, customers, and Trailblazers into this agent-first era that will fundamentally change how businesses operate, innovate, and grow.”
After Washington joins the company on March 21, 2025, Arnold Donald, former CEO of Carnival Corporation, will fill her shoes as the new lead independent director, according to Salesforce. Donald joined the Salesforce board in 2023 and also serves on the board of Bank of America.