BURLINGTON, Mass., June 7, 2019 – Nuance Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN), a leading provider of conversational AI, today announced that it has selected Sanjay Dhawan to lead its Automotive business and become CEO and a member of the Board of Directors upon completion of the spin-off. Nuance previously announced its intent to spin off its Automotive business as a separate, publicly-traded company on October 1, 2019. The new company will be an independent, next-generation automotive software company focused on delivering technologies critical to the realization of the future of mobility.

Mr. Dhawan will join Nuance from Harman Industries International, where he has served as President of Harman Connected Services and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) since 2015. With more than 30 years of technology leadership and extensive experience in the automotive industry, Mr. Dhawan brings a deep understanding of AI and machine learning applications, with particular focus on developing solutions at the intersection of devices, sensors, cloud solutions and data integration. He has a proven track record of identifying emerging technology trends, developing next-generation solutions and services that create more integrated digital experiences, and establishing meaningful and productive partnerships that create superior customer outcomes and market-defining experiences, particularly for the automotive industry.   

“Sanjay is a fast and strategic thinker with deep industry knowledge and a great vision for the future of technology in the car and within other aspects of mobility,” said Mark Benjamin, CEO of Nuance Communications. “His extensive industry relationships and track record for using innovation to spur growth, combined with the expertise and experience of the existing Automotive leadership team, make me and our Board confident that we have the right team in place to lead our Automotive business to success.” 

As the President of the Connected Services division at Harman and Harman CTO, Mr. Dhawan developed the strategy and roadmap for the company’s Connected Life initiative that transforms digital experiences across automotive, consumer, and enterprise markets. Prior to Harman, he served as President and CEO of Symphony Teleca Corporation, a global provider of SaaS and cloud software. Previously, he was recruited by KKR to spin-off Flextronics’ $500 million software delivery business into an independent company now known as Aricent, Inc. where Mr. Dhawan established independent operations for the organization and oversaw sales, marketing, engineering, product, and offer management for the company, which included more than 10,000 employees worldwide and a sales presence in 25 countries. 

“I am excited to join this world-class team at such a pivotal moment,” said Sanjay Dhawan. “I have worked with the Nuance Automotive business as both a partner and a customer and have been impressed for many years by the many innovations coming from the team. I look forward to further advancing our competitive edge and building a deeply integrated mobility experience in tight partnership with our customers to lead the Automotive business to the next phase of success.”

Mr. Dhawan holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Brunel University, England, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronics and Communications from REC Kurukshetra, India. He will join Nuance on July 1, 2019 and will be based out of the Automotive business headquarters in the Boston area.  

About Nuance Communications, Inc.

Nuance Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) is the pioneer and leader in conversational AI innovations that bring intelligence to everyday work and life. The company delivers solutions that understand, analyze and respond to human language to increase productivity and amplify human intelligence. With decades of domain and artificial intelligence expertise, Nuance works with thousands of organizations – in global industries that include healthcare, telecommunications, automotive, financial services, and retail – to create stronger relationships and better experiences for their customers and workforce. For more information, please visit www.nuance.com. 

Trademark reference: Nuance and the Nuance logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Nuance Communications, Inc. or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.

Contact Information

For Press: 

Kate Hickman

Nuance Communications, Inc.

Tel: 781-565-4627

Email: kathryn.hickman@nuance.com

For Investors: 

Tracy Krumme

Nuance Communications, Inc.

Tel: 781-565-4334

Email: tracy.krumme@nuance.com