In a surprising turn of events, the CEO of popular speaker maker Sonos, Patrick Spence, has announced his resignation following a disastrous app overhaul that received widespread criticism from users. Spence, who has been with the company for 12 years, will be stepping down from his position, with interim CEO Tom Conrad taking over in the meantime.
The botched software rollout not only impacted Sonos’ sales in the months following its release but also led to a significant decline in the company’s stock price. Despite Spence’s efforts to address the issues through gradual software updates, Sonos has struggled to recover from the fallout of the app launch. Sales have declined, and the company reported a net loss in its most recent quarter.
Spence, who previously worked at Blackberry before joining Sonos, expressed regret over the situation and announced a series of new commitments to address the root causes of the app failure. Meanwhile, Conrad, the new interim CEO, has acknowledged the company’s recent troubles and outlined his plans to improve the customer experience and drive innovation.
With a background in media streaming, Conrad brings a wealth of experience to his new role at Sonos. He has worked at companies like Pandora, Snap, and Quibi, and is tasked with optimizing the business to enhance financial performance. The company’s chairman, Julius Genachowski, expressed confidence in Conrad’s ability to lead Sonos through this challenging period.
As Sonos navigates this transition, it remains to be seen how the company will bounce back from the setbacks caused by the app overhaul. With a focus on improving the core customer experience and driving innovation, Sonos is poised to overcome these challenges and emerge stronger than ever.
