February 28, 2025

Elastic Appoints Navam Welihinda as CFO to Drive Next Growth Phase

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Elastic, the company behind Elasticsearch, has appointed Navam Welihinda as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective February 28, 2025. In this role, he will oversee financial operations, serving as both the company’s principal financial officer and principal accounting officer. Welihinda brings extensive experience in corporate finance, investment, and scaling technology businesses to this position.

Navam Welihinda’s Professional Background

Previous Role at Grammarly: Served as CFO, overseeing corporate finance and corporate development.
Experience at HashiCorp: Spent seven years, including as CFO, playing a key role in the company’s IPO and profitable expansion.
Finance Leadership at IBM: Gained experience in corporate finance and strategic planning.
Investment Experience: Held investment roles at Insight Venture Partners, American Capital Strategies, and Sierra Ventures.

CEO’s Perspective on the Appointment

Ash Kulkarni, CEO of Elastic, highlighted the company’s strategic focus and the significance of Welihinda’s appointment:

Elastic’s Search AI Platform presents a significant market opportunity.
The company is driving innovation in GenAI, observability, and security.
Welihinda’s expertise in multi-product, open-source businesses and consumption-based products aligns with Elastic’s vision.
His leadership will be instrumental in advancing Elastic’s next phase of growth.

Welihinda’s Vision for Elastic

Navam Welihinda expressed enthusiasm for joining Elastic, emphasizing:

The company’s leadership in Search AI and enterprise innovation.
Its ability to help developers and enterprises prioritize efficiency and innovation.
His commitment to contributing to Elastic’s continued growth and success.

With a strong financial background and experience scaling technology companies, Navam Welihinda’s appointment as CFO positions Elastic for its next growth phase. His leadership is expected to enhance the company’s financial strategy and drive innovation across its AI-powered search, observability, and security solutions.