William R. McDermott
Summary
William R. McDermott is ServiceNow’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, a role he has held since joining the company in late 2019. ([servicenow.com](https://www.servicenow.com/company/leadership/bill-mcdermott.html?utm_source=openai))
Biography
McDermott is a veteran enterprise-software executive who previously served as CEO of SAP, after holding senior roles at companies including Xerox, Gartner, and Siebel Systems. At SAP, he led the company through a major shift toward cloud software; ServiceNow says SAP’s market value increased substantially during his tenure, while Reuters noted that his record included both strong long-term gains and periods of weaker performance relative to faster-growing software peers. ([servicenow.com](https://www.servicenow.com/company/leadership/bill-mcdermott.html?utm_source=openai)) He became ServiceNow’s CEO in late 2019 and also serves as chairman of its board. Under his leadership, ServiceNow has more than tripled full-year revenue, expanded beyond IT service management into broader enterprise workflows, and made artificial intelligence a central part of its product strategy. The company’s 2026 proxy says McDermott agreed to remain with ServiceNow through at least December 31, 2030, although the board may assign him to CEO, co-CEO, executive-chair, or non-executive-chair duties. ([servicenow.com](https://www.servicenow.com/company/leadership/bill-mcdermott.html?utm_source=openai))
Notable achievements
- Led ServiceNow after joining as CEO in late 2019 and oversaw more than a threefold increase in full-year revenue. ([servicenow.com](https://www.servicenow.com/company/leadership/bill-mcdermott.html?utm_source=openai))
- Expanded ServiceNow’s strategy from core IT service management toward enterprise-wide workflows, customer service, security, and AI-enabled automation. ([servicenow.com](https://www.servicenow.com/company/leadership/bill-mcdermott.html?utm_source=openai))
- Built a long-term AI strategy around embedding intelligence across business workflows and positioning ServiceNow as an enterprise control layer. ([servicenow.com](https://www.servicenow.com/company/leadership/bill-mcdermott.html?utm_source=openai))
- Previously helped lead SAP through a period in which its market value rose materially, although results varied across different parts of his tenure. ([servicenow.com](https://www.servicenow.com/company/leadership/bill-mcdermott.html?utm_source=openai))
- Helped establish ServiceNow as a larger public software company, including its continued presence on the Fortune 500 list. ([servicenow.com](https://www.servicenow.com/company/leadership/bill-mcdermott.html?utm_source=openai))
Problem areas / controversies
- Combining the chairman and CEO roles gives McDermott substantial influence over both management and the board, a governance structure that some shareholders may view as providing less independent oversight. ServiceNow’s board says the arrangement is appropriate for the company. ([sec.gov](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1373715/000137371525000110/now-20250404.htm?utm_source=openai))
- ServiceNow’s rapid acquisition program, including Moveworks and Armis, has raised investor concerns about integration, profitability, and near-term cash-flow pressure. ([theinformation.com](https://www.theinformation.com/briefings/servicenow-stock-craters-armis-acquisition-creates-profit-headwinds?utm_source=openai))
- His 2025 compensation was about $51.6 million, prompting criticism from a proxy-advisory analysis even though shareholders approved the company’s say-on-pay resolution. ([proxyanalyst.com](https://www.proxyanalyst.com/companies/NOW/annual-meeting?utm_source=openai))
- The company’s AI expansion faces execution risk because customers’ adoption, pricing, and the effect of generative AI on traditional software demand remain uncertain. ([finance.yahoo.com](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/servicenow-flags-middle-east-deal-delays-shares-crash-225811213.html?utm_source=openai))