NICE COO appointment news broke as the company announced Arun Chandra will become its Chief Operating Officer, taking charge of NICE’s newly formed Global Customer Operations division starting December 1, 2025.
This appointment underscores NICE’s ongoing commitment to accelerating growth, scaling AI-led customer experience (CX) innovation, and strengthening operational performance across its global ecosystem. As demand for intelligent, cloud-based CX platforms intensifies, NICE aims to ensure that every touchpoint—from customer onboarding to technology deployment—matches the company’s reputation as a market leader. Bringing Chandra into the executive fold marks a decisive step toward that goal.
A High-Impact Executive Joins NICE at a Pivotal Time
Arun Chandra arrives at NICE with an impressive track record shaped by senior roles at some of the world’s most influential organizations. Over several decades, he has built a reputation for transforming large-scale operations, leading global customer experience programs, and steering business units through periods of rapid growth and technological change.
Most recently, Chandra served at The Walt Disney Company, where he led customer experience modernization for Disney’s $24 billion streaming business. His work at Disney spotlighted his ability to apply cutting-edge tools—including AI, automation, and predictive analytics—to elevate customer satisfaction and optimize engagement for tens of millions of users worldwide.
Prior to Disney, Chandra held executive roles at Meta and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), where he led operational initiatives, transformed customer-centric strategies, and drove productivity improvements across complex global landscapes. His strategic mindset and ability to harmonize customer expectations with operational efficiency have earned him industry-wide recognition.
Bringing Chandra onboard represents more than a leadership appointment—it signals a strengthened resolve by NICE to blend innovation, scale, and disciplined execution as it expands its influence in the global customer experience market.
A Leadership Role Designed for Impact
In his new position as COO, Chandra will report directly to Scott Russell, CEO of NICE, and will serve as a key member of the company’s Executive Leadership Team. His appointment is aligned with NICE’s ongoing transformation strategy, which emphasizes customer-led growth, operational excellence, and AI-powered digital innovation.
Chandra will oversee the Global Customer Operations division, a newly formed organizational structure that consolidates a wide range of critical business functions, including:
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Customer Success & Services
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Partners & Channel Ecosystem
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Marketing
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Global Business Operations
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Information Technology (IT)
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Corporate Security
By bringing these functions under one unified command, NICE aims to create a more connected, efficient, and customer-centric operating model. This structure is designed to eliminate silos, accelerate decision-making, and ensure the company is better positioned to scale rapidly as demand for AI-first CX solutions continues to increase.
The breadth of Chandra’s responsibilities reflects NICE’s intention to integrate strategy, operations, and customer engagement into a cohesive framework that strengthens both internal execution and external customer outcomes.
A Strategic Fit for NICE’s AI-First Ambitions
NICE’s CEO, Scott Russell, emphasized that Chandra’s appointment is instrumental to the company’s long-term AI-first strategy. Russell noted that Chandra’s blend of operational rigor, global leadership experience, and passion for customer experience transformation makes him uniquely suited to help elevate NICE to its next level of performance.
As NICE doubles down on its leadership position in AI-driven CX solutions—particularly through platforms such as CXone and Enlighten—operational infrastructure must expand in parallel. Russell believes Chandra’s strategic oversight will ensure that growth remains sustainable, customer-first, and grounded in operational excellence.
Chandra echoed this sentiment, expressing enthusiasm for joining the company during such a transformative period. Calling NICE’s combination of AI innovation, cloud leadership, and global momentum “a defining moment in the industry,” he emphasized his commitment to scaling world-class operations and helping the organization deliver unparalleled value to global customers.
His vision aligns closely with NICE’s trajectory: a future where AI automates complexity, human agents focus on higher-value engagement, and operational systems deliver seamless, end-to-end customer experiences across all industries and geographies.
A Deep Background in Transforming Enterprise Operations
Arun Chandra’s professional background highlights a clear pattern of innovation-driven leadership. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a strong ability to deploy technology, analytics, and process optimization to improve customer outcomes and operational scalability. His previous roles spotlight this expertise:
Transforming Disney’s Streaming CX Organization
At The Walt Disney Company, Chandra led the customer experience function for Disney’s massive streaming business, which includes platforms such as Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu. Under his leadership, Disney applied AI and automation to modernize how the company engaged with millions of global users—improving satisfaction, reducing friction, and strengthening brand loyalty.
His work helped drive engagement for one of the fastest-growing digital entertainment ecosystems in the world.
Driving Operational Innovation at Meta
During his tenure at Meta, Chandra contributed to organizational transformation efforts aimed at scaling infrastructure, optimizing support functions, and building customer-centric operational models that supported Meta’s global audience.
Leading Strategic Operations at Hewlett Packard Enterprise
At HPE, he played a critical role in shaping enterprise-level strategies, improving operational efficiency, and overseeing initiatives designed to enhance the customer experience across the company’s large-scale hardware and software operations.
Strong Academic Foundations
Chandra’s academic credentials further underscore his analytical strengths:
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MBA, Santa Clara University
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MS, The Ohio State University
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BS, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
His combination of technical expertise and business leadership experience positions him well to guide NICE’s operational evolution and support its continued global expansion.
Why the COO Appointment Matters for NICE and the Broader Market
Chandra’s appointment signals a pivotal moment for NICE as it continues scaling its global reach, expanding its technology portfolio, and delivering AI-powered customer experiences at a rapid pace. The formation of the Global Customer Operations division is particularly significant for several reasons.
1. Strengthening the Operational Backbone
The extended responsibilities of the new COO role position NICE to enhance coordination and placement of key business enablers under a unified operational strategy. This allows NICE to improve agility, accelerate execution, and ensure consistent and predictable customer experience delivery worldwide.
2. Supporting the Scaling of AI-Powered CX Platforms
With NICE leading the global shift to AI-first customer experience platforms, operational complexity naturally increases:
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More customers
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Larger deployments
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Higher expectations
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Increasing integration and security needs
Chandra’s expertise in managing global, high-volume customer operations is a valuable asset as NICE scales its offerings.
3. Bringing Together People, Process, and Technology
Combining customer success, marketing, IT, security, and operations under one organizational structure helps NICE build an enterprise-wide operating model centered on:
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Unified customer experience
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Consistent global standards
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Data-driven insights
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Cross-functional collaboration
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Operational predictability
This holistic structure is essential for companies that compete through innovation and customer value.
4. Balancing Innovation with World-Class Service
Even as NICE leads the AI and digital transformation of customer experience, the company must maintain its operational excellence. The appointment of a seasoned operations executive ensures NICE can balance rapid technological innovation with the service quality and discipline required to deliver consistently superior results.
Positioning NICE for Its Next Phase of Global Growth
With Arun Chandra stepping into the role of Chief Operating Officer, NICE is clearly preparing for a new era of expansion—one driven by the convergence of AI innovation, global customer demand, and a strengthened operational engine.
The company’s strategy signals:
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A deeper commitment to transforming customer experience for global brands
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A sharper focus on operational scalability and customer value
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Continued investment in leadership capable of guiding rapid, technology-driven growth
As NICE continues building AI-first platforms that redefine how organizations engage with their customers, the addition of Chandra provides the operational leadership necessary to support this growth responsibly and effectively.
The launch of the Global Customer Operations division, combined with Chandra’s background, positions NICE not only to expand its presence across major global markets but also to elevate its role as a mission-critical partner for enterprises undergoing digital CX transformation.
Conclusion
The appointment of Arun Chandra as Chief Operating Officer marks a transformative chapter for NICE. His decades of global leadership experience, proven success in scaling large customer experience organizations, and deep expertise in operational modernization make him an ideal fit for the company’s AI-first vision.
By placing key business functions under Chandra’s leadership, NICE is building a unified, agile, and customer-centric operating model designed to support its next phase of innovation and global growth. As the company continues to lead the customer experience industry with AI-enabled solutions, the addition of Chandra brings the operational rigor, strategic discipline, and visionary leadership needed to propel NICE into its next decade of success.
CXO Insiders is a platform for C-suite leaders, offering expert insights, industry trends, and strategic guidance. It covers leadership, technology, marketing, HR, and operations to support executive decision-making.
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