GoPro Exec Zander Lurie Takes Temporary Chairmanship at SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey has made the first step toward finding its next leader by bringing on GoPro executive Zander Lurie to serve as temporary executive chairman of the board and help the tech firm search for a new CEO.

Lurie, a SurveyMonkey board member since 2009, will hold the position for three months and help the company transition following the sudden death of its CEO, David Goldberg, a GoPro spokeswoman said Friday.

“I am a resource to SurveyMonkey during this transition,” Lurie said in a written statement. “Dave was a strong leader who assembled an extraordinary team that is committed to fully realizing the company’s mission to help people around the world make better decisions with data.”

Goldberg, a well-respected and admired tech executive, and husband to Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, died on May 1 while working out at the resort where he and his family were vacationing in Mexico. The 47-year-old was on a treadmill when he fell and hit his head; he died of head trauma and blood loss, authorities said. His death rocked Silicon Valley and left his company of about 500 employees reeling.

During his brief tenure at SurveyMonkey, Lurie will continue his duties at GoPro, where he is the senior vice president of media.

“GoPro is honored that one of our own can support SurveyMonkey during this difficult time,” GoPro President Tony Bates said in a statement. “We consider this a small opportunity to demonstrate our respect for SurveyMonkey and Dave’s legacy.”

SurveyMonkey will conduct a search of internal and external candidates to fill the vacant CEO seat. Lurie will keep a seat on the executive board after the hiring process is complete, GoPro said.

SurveyMonkey has not responded to questions about its plans following Goldberg’s death.

This article appeared in print in the May 11th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.