UserTesting Appoints Baran Erkel as Chief Strategy Officer

SAN FRANCISCO, CA. – September 26, 2024 – UserTesting, a SaaS leader in experience research and insights, today announced the appointment of Baran Erkel as UserTesting’s Chief Strategy Officer. Erkel brings over two decades of experience in corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and strategic partnerships, and will play a pivotal role in driving UserTesting's next phase of growth and innovation.

In his new role, Erkel will shape the company’s long-term strategy and lead the development and execution of strategic initiatives aimed at expanding UserTesting’s market presence and accelerating innovation. He will lead efforts to identify and pursue growth opportunities, with a focus on acquisitions and strategic partnerships to strengthen the company’s market position.

“We are thrilled to welcome Baran to the team,” said Eric Johnson, CEO of UserTesting. “His deep expertise in corporate development, combined with a track record of successful acquisitions and partnerships, will be critical as we expand our business and look to enhance our offerings. Baran’s leadership will help us deliver on our mission to be the world’s leading human insight platform for innovators to transform customer experiences.”

Prior to joining UserTesting, Erkel served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategy at Nintex, where he played a central role in executing and integrating five acquisitions that were instrumental in the company's success. During his seven years at Nintex, Erkel also helped foster strategic relationships with key partners, while significantly contributing to investor relations efforts.

“I’m excited to join UserTesting and look forward to working with such a talented team to drive the company’s strategic vision forward,” said Erkel. “I see tremendous opportunity for both organic and inorganic growth, and I’m eager to contribute to UserTesting's continued success through strategic agility, impactful acquisitions, and strong partnerships.”

Before Nintex, Erkel held leadership roles in corporate development at Citrix and began his career in technology and management consulting with Accenture. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science and M.S. in Computer Networks from North Carolina State University.