Qlik has appointed Anna Sharkey as its chief people officer, effective November 23, 2026, as the data integration and analytics company prepares for a leadership transition after 12 years under outgoing people chief Ruthann Wry.
Sharkey will report to president and chief executive officer Saugata Saha and join Qlik’s Executive Leadership Team. She will lead the company’s global Culture & Talent organisation, overseeing human resources, talent development, rewards, recruitment and change management.
Wry will step down from the role but remain with Qlik until the end of 2026 to support the transition. The appointment places Sharkey in charge of aligning the company’s people strategy with its growth priorities across data and artificial intelligence.
A new mandate for Qlik’s global people function
Sharkey’s responsibilities will span the employee lifecycle, from hiring and leadership development to rewards and organisational change. Her remit will include connecting workforce capabilities with the skills and leadership requirements emerging from Qlik’s business priorities.
Announcing the appointment, Saha said the company’s growth would depend on employees translating opportunities in data and AI into customer outcomes. He highlighted Sharkey’s experience in connecting business strategy with talent and leadership development.
Sharkey said her priority would be to strengthen the relationship between people strategy, workplace culture and business performance. She also plans to focus on building leadership capabilities and supporting an organisational culture that enables employees and the company to grow.
More than 25 years of HR leadership experience
Sharkey brings more than 25 years of human resources and leadership experience, including senior roles across financial services and investment management.
Before joining Qlik, she served as chief people officer at Capstone Investment Advisors. Her previous senior HR experience includes positions at Blackstone, S&P Global, Barclays and Citi.
Her professional experience covers several areas of people management:
Talent acquisition and workforce planning.
Succession planning and leadership development.
Career development and employee growth.
People strategy during mergers and acquisitions.
Organisational change and transformation.
Sharkey has also lived and worked across Europe, Africa and North America, bringing international experience to the global role.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Science and Social Work from Lund University in Sweden and an MBA from the University of Wales, College of Cardiff, in the United Kingdom.
Wry to support leadership transition through year-end
The appointment marks the end of Wry’s 12-year tenure as Qlik’s chief people officer. She will remain with the company through December 2026 to help ensure continuity as Sharkey assumes responsibility for the global function.
Saha credited Wry with building a strong Culture & Talent team and guiding employees through organisational change. He also thanked her for supporting the transition.
The leadership change comes as Qlik positions its business around trusted data, analytics and AI. The company says its products help organisations use reliable and controlled data to scale AI responsibly.
Qlik reports that it serves customers worldwide and is used by 75% of Fortune 500 companies.
Sharkey’s appointment will take effect on November 23. Her immediate focus will be leading the global people organisation and connecting talent, leadership and culture with Qlik’s evolving business priorities.
