HubSpot Appoints Meta's Business AI Head, Clara Shih, to Board of Directors

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – HubSpot, Inc. (NYSE: HUBS) announced the appointment of Clara Shih, Head of the Business AI Group at Meta, to its Board of Directors, effective November 3, 2025. This strategic move aims to bolster HubSpot's artificial intelligence initiatives as the company continues to integrate AI across its customer platform for scaling businesses. Shih's extensive background in AI, enterprise software, and Customer Relationship Management is expected to be invaluable to HubSpot's future direction.

Shih's appointment comes as HubSpot intensifies its focus on embedding AI into its marketing, sales, and service offerings, transforming how small and medium-sized businesses operate. Yamini Rangan, CEO of HubSpot, stated, "Clara is a remarkable leader who deeply understands both the transformative potential of AI and the realities of how go-to-market teams operate." Rangan emphasized that Shih's experience in building and scaling AI products, from foundational models to customer-facing applications, will be crucial.

Prior to her role at Meta, where she leads the development and monetization of AI products for over 200 million businesses across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, Shih held significant leadership positions at Salesforce. She served as CEO of Salesforce AI and CEO of Service Cloud, where she spearheaded the company's shift into generative AI and scaled Service Cloud into its largest product line. Earlier in her career, Shih founded Hearsay Systems, a global SaaS company focused on digital engagement for financial services.

A recognized technology pioneer, Shih has been named to the TIME100 AI list and Fast Company’s "Most Influential People in Technology." She also previously served on the Starbucks Board of Directors from 2011 to 2023. Shih expressed her enthusiasm for the new role, stating, "HubSpot has a unique opportunity to help millions of scaling businesses harness the power of AI to drive growth." She added, "I’ve long admired HubSpot’s customer-first philosophy and product innovation, and I’m excited to work with Yamini, the board, and the leadership team to help shape this next chapter."

The appointment signals HubSpot's commitment to leveraging AI as a catalyst for efficiency and expansion, despite recent market concerns that have seen its stock decline. The company is actively infusing AI into its business model, including recent acquisitions like XFunnel, a platform designed to optimize business presence on AI search engines. HubSpot aims to convince investors that its AI strategy will drive future revenue growth and strengthen its market position.