'What started in Chennai...': Girish Mathrubootham ends 15-year Freshworks journey

Girish Mathrubootham, founder of Freshworks and a pivotal figure in India's SaaS rise, will step down as executive chairman on December 1, 2025, formally ending his role at the company he led from a Chennai startup to a Nasdaq-listed firm.

Freshworks confirmed Mathrubootham’s exit in a September 3 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, stating he would retire from all board duties to focus full-time on Together Fund, the venture capital firm he co-founded.

The leadership transition marks a watershed moment for the company, which became one of India’s first SaaS firms to go public in the U.S. in 2021. “Mr. Mathrubootham’s resignation was not the result of any disagreement on matters relating to the Company’s operations, policies, or practices,” the company clarified in its 8-K filing.

Effective December 1, Roxanne Austin, currently lead independent director, will assume the role of chairperson of the board. Austin has been on the Freshworks board since May 2021.

Freshworks said Mathrubootham will work closely with Austin over the coming months to ensure a seamless leadership handover. The board will be downsized to nine members, with Class III directors reduced from three to two.

Mathrubootham’s departure adds to a broader trend of founder exits in tech companies post-IPO, as they transition from high-growth startups to mature public enterprises. His shift to venture capital underscores a growing pattern among Indian tech founders looking to back the next generation of startups.