4
Rajeev Singh
Chief Executive Officer
2025 – Present
1 year (current)
Legacy
As a highly experienced tech executive and board member, he provides absolutely critical guidance on scaling enterprise SaaS operations.
Smartsheet
SoftwareFounded 2005- HQ today: Bellevue, Washington, USA
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026
Leadership History
Smartsheet: CEO History
4 leaders · 2005 to present
Who is the CEO of Smartsheet?
Rajeev Singh is the CEO of Smartsheet, in the role since 2025. The first chief executive was Brent Frei, from 2005.
- Current CEO
- Rajeev Singh (since 2025)
- First CEO
- Brent Frei (2005)
- Leaders documented
- 4
- Founded
- 2005
| Name | Role | From | To | Years in role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rajeev Singh | Chief Executive Officer | 2025 | Present | 1 |
| Sunny Gupta | Executive Chair and Acting CEO | 2025 | 2025 | < 1 |
| Mark Mader | Chief Executive Officer & President | 2006 | 2025 | 19 |
| Brent Frei | Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer | 2005 | 2006 | 1 |
- Who was CEO of Smartsheet before Rajeev Singh?
- Mark Mader was CEO of Smartsheet from 2006 to 2025, before Rajeev Singh took over in 2025.
Company Overview
Smartsheet builds work management software that looks like a spreadsheet but behaves like a shared database, with Gantt, card, calendar and dashboard views, automated workflows and portfolio reporting. It is used by large enterprises and US government agencies for project and program tracking. Since its January 2025 take-private by Blackstone and Vista, the company has been repositioning itself around what it calls Intelligent Work Management, adding generative and agentic AI features announced at ENGAGE 2025. The company is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington.
Smartsheet sells software subscriptions. Customers pay per user on tiered plans (Pro, Business, Enterprise) and can add premium capabilities such as Control Center, Dynamic View, Data Shuttle, Bridge, Resource Management and Brandfolder digital asset management. Subscriptions made up about 95% of revenue in its last public quarter (Q3 fiscal 2025: $273.7 million of $286.9 million), with the rest from professional services such as implementation and consulting. Growth follows a land-and-expand pattern: a team adopts Smartsheet, usage spreads across departments, and the account converts to an enterprise agreement.
3
Sunny Gupta
Executive Chair and Acting CEO
2025 – 2025
0 years
Legacy
As an influential board member and enterprise CEO, he advises on highly complex enterprise sales strategies.
2
Mark Mader
Chief Executive Officer & President
2006 – 2025
19 years
Key Decisions & Impact
Mader executed the absolutely massive, highly strategic push 'upmarket,' transforming Smartsheet from a simple tool for small teams into a massive 'Enterprise Work Management' platform trusted by Fortune 500 CIOs.
Legacy
As Co-Founder and CEO, he navigated the company through its difficult early years, guided its highly successful IPO, and established it as a dominant player against aggressive rivals.
1
Brent Frei
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
2005 – 2006
1 year
Key Decisions & Impact
Frei championed the absolute core, defining thesis of the company: rather than forcing users to learn complex project management software, simply give them a spreadsheet that has superpowers.
Legacy
As the visionary Co-Founder (who previously founded Onyx Software), he provided the massive initial capital and strategic direction to launch the company.
Smartsheet CEO and Leadership FAQ
Who is the current Chief Executive Officer of Smartsheet?
Rajeev Singh has served as Chief Executive Officer of Smartsheet since October 2025.
What is Rajeev Singh's background and executive pedigree?
Rajeev Singh is a renowned Pacific Northwest technology leader who co-founded travel and expense giant Concur Technologies in 1993, serving as President and COO until its $8.3 billion acquisition by SAP in 2014, and subsequently served as CEO of healthcare tech leader Accolade.
Who was Mark Mader and what was his impact as CEO from 2006 to 2025?
Mark Mader led Smartsheet as CEO for 19 years (2006-2025). Mader engineered the critical 2008 spreadsheet interface pivot, guided Smartsheet through its 2018 NYSE IPO, scaled revenues past $1 billion in ARR, and executed the landmark $8.4 billion private equity sale to Blackstone and Vista.
Who was Brent Frei and what was his role as founding CEO?
Brent Frei served as founding CEO from 2005 to 2006. Having previously founded and taken CRM software leader Onyx Software public, Frei provided initial startup capital and vision before handing operational leadership to Mark Mader and serving on the board of directors.
Who was Pete Godbole at Smartsheet?
Pete Godbole served as Chief Financial Officer of Smartsheet from 2020 through the completion of the Blackstone-Vista privatization in 2025, directing global finance, capital allocation, investor relations, and M&A integration.
Who was Gene Farrell in Smartsheet's executive leadership?
Gene Farrell, a former Amazon Web Services (AWS) Vice President, served as Chief Product Officer and later Chief Strategy Officer, driving the development of enterprise capabilities including Control Center and Smartsheet Gov.
Why did Mark Mader step down as CEO in September 2025?
After successfully steering Smartsheet through the complex $8.4 billion take-private transaction and establishing private equity governance, Mader chose to retire after 19 years at the helm to pursue personal interests and private advisory roles.
What is the role of private equity sponsors Blackstone and Vista in corporate governance?
Senior operating partners from Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners serve on Smartsheet's Board of Directors, providing strategic guidance on enterprise sales incentives, M&A opportunities, and operational scaling.
What awards and recognitions did Mark Mader receive during his tenure?
Mark Mader was recognized as Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and GeekWire CEO of the Year, celebrated for building one of the Pacific Northwest's most durable enterprise software success stories.
How did Mark Mader foster Smartsheet's corporate culture?
Mader championed core values of transparency, accountability, and customer empathy, maintaining exceptionally high employee engagement scores and earning consistent "Best Places to Work" honors in Seattle and Bellevue.
What is Rajeev Singh's strategic mandate as CEO?
Rajeev Singh is tasked with expanding Smartsheet's global enterprise market share, infusing autonomous AI workflows throughout the platform, driving operational efficiency, and positioning Smartsheet for a future multi-billion-dollar return to public markets.
How is Smartsheet's executive leadership team organized today?
The leadership team comprises seasoned enterprise SaaS executives overseeing Product & Engineering, Global Sales, Customer Success, Legal & Trust, and Finance, operating from headquarters in Bellevue, Washington.
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