Sonos Names Tom Conrad as CEO

6 months ago, Sonos parted ways with Patrick Spence and appointed board member Tom Conrad as interim CEO. Today, Sonos named Conrad as its CEO.

“Today isn’t about dropping the word ‘interim’ from my title,” Conrad wrote in an email to Sonos employees. “Today is the day we turn the page to an entirely new chapter. Today is the day we begin our reinvention. And today is the day we return to the absolute focus on excellence and the customer-first principles that were the founding values of our company 20 years ago.”

Conrad had spent months lobbying for the CEO role, and it appears that his turnaround plan for Sonos in the wake of its Sonosgate issues last year resonated with the board of directors: He has pushed for the company to “focus on fewer but more meaningful initiatives, to do less [but] better,” and he streamlined its organizational structure so that it can move more decisively.

“When Tom stepped in, customers, the media, and many of you were appropriately questioning what had gone wrong and insisting on urgency and answers,” Sonos chairman Julius Genachowski wrote in his own letter to employees. “Tom has done a masterful job leading our response, building on his keen knowledge of the company, his extensive experience as a product leader, and a heartfelt connection with our customers.”