In this panel discussion, we discuss how Customer Success has moved through a period of adjustment over the last three years to emerge more clearly defined.
Like a J-Curve pattern, Customer Success has moved through a period of adjustment over the last three years to emerge more clearly defined. The 2022 downturn prompted organizations to question CS's role, creating a defining moment for the function. Teams operating with clear strategic value maintained their position, while others faced harder questions. Now, as CEOs get closer to their customers, we're seeing CS teams adapt their approaches based on specific customer needs. Planhat CCO Chris Regester and SuccessVP Founder John Gleeson examine this period of change. They explore what recent shifts mean for CS teams in 2025 and beyond. Discussion topics include: What's been behind CS's evolution, How CS leadership backgrounds are shaping team approaches and results, Practical applications of AI in CS beyond the hype. This session is for CS leaders interested in understanding recent shifts and preparing for what's next.
Malin Skoglund
VP Customer Success, Americas
VP Customer Success, Americas
Planhat
Malin brings over 15 years of experience scaling SaaS businesses across global markets. Before joining Planhat, she spent nearly a decade at Meltwater, where she rose to Vice President overseeing a $50M+ ARR portfolio and a 100+ person team across six countries—playing a key role in both the company’s growth to $400M+, and its subsequent IPO. With deep expertise in both sales and post-sales, Malin blends sharp commercial instincts with no-nonsense leadership, consistently building high-performing teams through every stage of scale.
John Gleeson
Founder and Managing Partner
Founder and Managing Partner
Success Venture Partners
John is the Founder and Managing Partner of Success Venture Partners, where he backs early-stage startups with a focus on founder-led Customer Success. He brings over a decade of experience building and scaling customer-facing teams, most notably as VP of Customer Success at Motive, where he helped grow revenue from $1M to $300M ARR and led a team of 150. John has also served as VP CS at Affinio, launched multiple ventures, and co-founded the world’s largest Customer Success Meetup. He blends deep SaaS operational knowledge with a sharp investor mindset.
Chris Regester
Chief Commercial Officer
Chief Commercial Officer
Planhat
Chris was the Chief Customer Officer at Planhat, where he led the global post-sales function. Named one of Pavilion’s “Top 50 CCOs to Watch”, he brought nearly two decades of SaaS experience spanning strategic planning, team building, and process excellence. Prior to Planhat, Chris spent 16 years at Meltwater, where he launched and scaled revenue and CS teams across Asia and Europe, supporting growth from $100M to $400M+ and leading through seven acquisitions and an IPO. Chris passed away in June 2025 and is remembered for his generosity, global perspective, and deep commitment to customer-led growth.
Customers
© 2025 Planhat AB
Customers
© 2025 Planhat AB
Customers
© 2025 Planhat AB
Customers
© 2025 Planhat AB
