Singapore – Similarweb Ltd. (NYSE: SMWB) has appointed Michael Akkerman as Chief Executive Officer, effective 2 November 2026, as the digital data and analytics company sharpens its focus on scaling AI-powered data products.
Akkerman succeeds Founder and CEO Or Offer, who had announced in May 2026 that he would step down after close to two decades at the helm.
According to Similarweb, Offer will remain closely involved through a transition period. He will support Akkerman and the Board to ensure continuity for customers, partners and employees.
Akkerman brings nearly 20 years of C-level and senior operating leadership across digital advertising, data and technology businesses. He currently serves as chief business officer of Digital Turbine (NASDAQ: APPS), where he leads a global team spanning sales, partnerships, marketing, product and business operations.
Before that, he was chief revenue officer of data.ai, formerly App Annie, where he ran all go-to-market functions, including sales, marketing, business development and corporate strategy. Similarweb says the platform served many of the same enterprise customers it works with today.
His earlier roles include chief product and strategy officer at Cardlytics (NASDAQ: CDLX), where he led product alongside engineering. He also held senior commercial leadership positions at Uber (NYSE: UBER) and Pinterest (NYSE: PINS).
Earlier still, Akkerman held global sales and strategy leadership roles at Kenshoo, now Skai, an Israeli-founded enterprise marketing software company. He holds a degree from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.
In explaining the choice, Similarweb said its Board prioritised a proven operator with deep go-to-market, strategic and commercial leadership experience. The company added that Akkerman’s record in scaling data-driven, technology-first businesses across product, partnerships and commercial functions positions him to lead its next stage of growth.
Similarweb said it is concentrating on scaling its AI-powered data products and accelerating go-to-market execution across new and existing markets. It also stated that there is no change to the company’s strategy, operations or financial outlook.
Board Chairman of Similarweb, Harel Beit-On framed the appointment as the outcome of a structured search, “On behalf of the Board, I want to start by thanking Or for his extraordinary leadership since founding the company. He built Similarweb from the ground up into the company it is today, and we are deeply grateful for his vision, his partnership, and the culture he created.”
“As we turn to our next chapter, this appointment is the culmination of a thorough and disciplined search process. Michael brings exactly the combination of data fluency, operating rigor, strategic depth, and multidisciplinary leadership this next phase calls for, and the Board has full confidence in him and in the continuity of Similarweb’s bold vision,” he added.
Meanwhile, Offer, reflected on the company’s shift towards artificial intelligence.
“I’ve spent almost 20 years building this company, and I couldn’t be prouder of where we stand today – a business that has successfully navigated its transition into the AI era and is well positioned for its next phase of growth. I am proud to hand the reins to someone with Michael’s caliber, expertise, and energy. He has the experience and the track record to carry Similarweb forward, and I look forward to supporting him through the transition,” Offer emphasised.
For his part, Akkerman pointed to Similarweb’s data assets and to his own history as a customer. Incoming CEO of Similarweb, he said, “Similarweb sits on one of the most valuable data assets in the industry – years of insight into how people navigate the digital world, online and in-app. I’ve been a customer since early in my career and have seen firsthand how turning this kind of intelligence into action drives meaningful business results.”
“I’m humbled by the opportunity to build on the foundation that Or and the team have cemented, right at the inflection point when AI is reshaping how we interact with and measure the digital world, and at exactly the moment when understanding human behavior is at a premium. I’m grateful to Or and the Similarweb Board for their trust, and I couldn’t be more excited to keep building the future together,” Akkerman concluded.
