Microsoft Groups chief joins Highspot; Edifecs, Acumatica add execs; and extra – GeekWire

Bhrighu Sareen was named president of product & engineering at gross sales enablement software program startup Highspot.

Sareen beforehand spent 17 years at Microsoft, most not too long ago as company VP of Microsoft Groups. He additionally held a number of different management roles, together with chief of employees for Bing and common supervisor of MSN Worldwide.

Highspot raised $248 million at a $3.5 billion valuation in January. Its enterprise software program product goals to assist make salespeople extra environment friendly, equipping them with know-how to enhance how they’ve conversations with potential patrons, amongst different options. Highspot reported development over the pandemic as extra offers shifted to video calls versus a convention room or restaurant. Prospects embrace giants comparable to DocuSign, Workday, Siemens, Adobe, and others.

“Right this moment, gross sales enablement and Highspot are on the intersection of massive, troublesome points going through each enterprise, together with driving gross sales productiveness amidst powerful macroeconomic circumstances and the numerous complexities of hybrid work,” Sareen wrote in a blog post.

Different key personnel adjustments throughout the Pacific Northwest tech panorama:

• Google govt Allan Thygesen was appointed CEO of San Francisco-based DocuSign, which has a big workforce in Seattle, following the departure of earlier CEO Dan Springer this summer season. DocuSign said Wednesday it will lower 9% of its workforce.
• Healthcare software program maker Edifecs employed David Peterson as senior VP of promoting and Milla Rahmani as common counsel.
• Enterprise useful resource planning firm Acumatica hired Microsoft veteran Jim Desler as VP of communications. Desler spent 17 years at Microsoft, most not too long ago as cybersecurity communications director.
• U.S. President Joe Biden nominated Roger Nyhus, founding father of communications agency Nyhus, as ambassador to Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Nyhus hosted a fundraiser for Biden in 2019 and recently sold the agency to Spokane-based DH.
• Ian Knox, who beforehand led the cellular product group at actual property brokerage Compass, is now chief product officer at SimplePractice, a Los Angeles-based well being and wellness software program firm. Knox can be primarily based in Seattle.