Oyster and Culture Amp founders transition out of CEO roles

A new year often means new jobs. That’s certainly the case in the HR technology space.

This week, two HR tech providers have announced that their founders will step out of their CEO roles and transition into being the Executive Chairman.

The companies in question are employee experience platform Culture Amp and global employment platform Oyster – the founders are Didier Elzinga and Tony Jamous respectively.

Caroline Rawlinson, currently COO and CFO and Culture Amp, will take over the CEO role, while Hadi Moussa will become CEO at Oyster – he has previously held senior leadership roles at Coople, Coursera, Deliveroo and Airbnb.

The Oyster CEO change comes within a year of the HR tech company appointing a new CRO and a new VP of People – Geraldine MacCarthy and  Marina Farthouat.

UNLEASH got the scoop on the two CEO appointments from Oyster and Culture Amp. What will these C-Suite changes mean for the future of these companies, and the HR tech landscape?

CEO appointments about growth and scale at Oyster and Culture Amp

Speaking exclusively to UNLEASH, Jamous shares: “Oyster is at an inflection point. We’ve built our foundation; now we’re ready to scale with excellence.

“The right leader for the former isn’t always the right one for the latter, and it was clear to me that we needed to bring in the right leader for this new chapter.

“Finding Hadi wasn’t about replacing myself. It was about finding the leader our customers, our team, and our mission deserve.

“What makes this transition extraordinary is that Hadi and I share the same foundational experience—we both left Lebanon as emigrants searching for opportunity that wasn’t available at home.

“That shared journey means he doesn’t just understand Oyster’s mission, he’s lived it.”

Jamous continues that in his new role as Executive Chairman he remains “deeply committed to Oyster’s mission and vision”. His focus will be “on long-term strategy, external partnerships, and ensuring we stay true to our values as we scale”.

“This isn’t about stepping away. It’s about evolving my role so Oyster can become what it’s meant to be: the platform that expands global opportunity without compromise.”

Talking about Rawlinson’s appointment at the helm of Culture Amp, Elzinga stated: “I was so excited when we hired Caroline as CFO and COO just over 12 months ago as I knew we were hiring someone capable of much more.

“She has already proven herself as the leader we require to deliver at the pace and scale for the next stage of the journey.

“This will also give me the opportunity to focus my time and energy on the profound shift that AI offers all companies – but particularly CHROs and our customers.

“I am incredibly excited about the journey forward and to announce her appointment as our new CEO.”

Rawlinson tells UNLEASH: “At Culture Amp, we are building the platform to create a better world of work, and I’m honored to continue that mission.

“I’ve always believed that our customers’ success is the only true measure of our own, and as CEO, my focus is ensuring Culture Amp evolves as rapidly as the world of work itself, particularly as AI reshapes how teams operate.

“Our customers are at the center of AI transformation, and to support them, we are accelerating tools like AI Coach so they can build high-performing teams with more precision.”

Discussing his CEO appointment at Oyster, Moussa shares with UNLEASH: “I’m stepping into a company with strong fundamentals and a clearly differentiated solution to a critical need.

“Over the next year, my focus is on three strategic priorities that will define Oyster’s evolution, to raise the bar further.”

These are around deepening customer relationships, transforming how AI used across the platform, and investing in product innovation.

He continues: “Our customers should expect continuity in Oyster’s mission and service. We’re building the infrastructure that makes global opportunity truly accessible—not just for companies, but for the millions of people in emerging markets who deserve to participate in the global economy.

“This mission has never been more important, and I’m honored to lead Oyster through this next chapter of growth and impact.”

Leah Belsky, Oyster Board member and VP at OpenAI, added: “The rise of AI presents a generational opportunity to democratize access to opportunity across the globe, and Oyster sits at the center of that shift.

“This founder-led transition positions Oyster to scale with clarity, strength, and deep alignment to its mission.

“We are thankful for Tony’s exceptional leadership and continued commitment to Oyster, and welcome Hadi as he leads the company’s next chapter of growth.”

Stay tuned for what these CEO changes will mean for the future direction of Oyster, Culture Amp and the wider HR tech sector.