Sonos Names Former Apple UI Designer Tom Conrad as Permanent CEO

Sonos has appointing interim CEO Tom Conrad as its permanent chief executive. Conrad had been leading the company since January, taking the helm during a period of significant transition for the smart speaker maker.

The appointment follows a comprehensive search after former CEO Patrick Spence stepped down earlier this year. Spence's departure came in the wake of a widely criticized new Sonos app launch that created months of turmoil for the company.

"Following a comprehensive and competitive search, the Board is confident that Tom is the best person to lead Sonos into its next chapter of delighting customers, spearheading innovation, and driving growth," said Julius Genachowski, Chair of the Board. "Over the past six months, Tom has earned the confidence of our employees, customers, partners and shareholders by restoring urgency and a deep commitment to delivering ever-improving experiences."


During his time as interim CEO, Conrad has already made significant moves, including the decision to abandon plans for a streaming video device that was aimed at competing with the Apple TV. The company notes his interim leadership has also set a new standard for software quality and cleared the path for a robust new product pipeline.

"Since the beginning of this year, we've reestablished clarity, focus, and momentum at Sonos. We've dramatically improved our software products and recommitted to delivering the kind of premium experience our customers expect," said Tom Conrad. "The opportunity in front of us is enormous and I'm so excited to move from rebuilding to imagining the next generation of experiences: more immersive, more intelligent, and more seamlessly integrated into our customers' lives."

Conrad has served on the Sonos board since 2017 and has a long history in consumer tech, including time at Pandora, Snap, and even Apple, where he worked on the user interface for the Macintosh early in his career.