New Relic, the all-in-one observability platform for every engineer, announced that Ashan Willy has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, effective December 4.   

“I have long admired New Relic as a true pioneer in the observability market, and am honored to have the opportunity to lead the company as it embarks on the next phase of its journey,” said Willy. “The opportunity ahead of us is significant, and I believe New Relic is uniquely positioned to address customers’ evolving needs and expectations. I’m excited to hit the ground running with the New Relic team, as well as Francisco Partners and TPG, as we build on the company’s vision, values, and love for software that empowers engineers across the globe.” 

Willy is a proven leader and innovator who brings more than 25 years of experience in go-to-market, engineering, product management, and global strategy and planning. He most recently served as CEO of Proofpoint, a leading cybersecurity and compliance company, where he helped strengthen the company’s reputation as one of world’s most trusted cybersecurity brands, led the company through a successful transition to a privately owned company, and saw revenue grow 5x during his tenure. Willy previously held senior leadership positions at Webex, Juniper, Polycom, and Cisco. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Ashan to New Relic at such an exciting time for the company. He is a talented executive with a keen understanding of our industry as well as the importance of delivering a unified platform for customers,” said Dipanjan “DJ” Deb, co-founder & CEO of Francisco Partners.  “We are confident Ashan brings the right expertise and experience to help guide New Relic in this new chapter, and we look forward to partnering together on the path ahead.”  

“The need for full-stack observability is only increasing, and Ashan brings the right combination of strategic vision and product expertise to lead New Relic through its next chapter,” said Nehal Raj, Co-Managing Partner of TPG Capital. “Ashan has deep experience transforming businesses through data, putting New Relic in a great position to continue innovating and growing in service of its customers. We also want to thank Bill for his leadership and significant contributions to New Relic.”

“Leading New Relic over the past nearly four years has been incredibly rewarding, and it has been a privilege to work alongside such an incredibly talented and driven team,” said Staples. “I am deeply proud of the work we have done over the past several years to optimize New Relic’s platform and position it for future growth.  I know the company is in good hands with Ashan, and believe New Relic is well-positioned for continued success.”

New Relic was acquired on November 8 by an investor group led by Francisco Partners and TPG, and including Accel and CapitalG.