Stova Taps New CEO, Pivots Former Chief to Strategic AI Role

BLUFFDALE, UT – April 09, 2026 – In a significant leadership restructuring that signals a dual focus on operational stability and future-forward innovation, event technology platform Stova has promoted Anupam Palit to the role of Chief Executive Officer. The company announced today that Kirk Ziehm, the prior CEO, will transition to Vice Chairman of the Board, where he will spearhead the company’s strategic initiatives in artificial intelligence.

This calculated move comes as the event technology sector grapples with what insiders describe as a period of profound transformation, marked by widespread vendor consolidation, rapidly changing client demands, and the disruptive emergence of advanced AI. By placing a seasoned internal leader at the operational helm while dedicating executive oversight to AI, Stova is positioning itself to navigate the turbulent market and define its next chapter.

A New Leader for a Shifting Landscape

Anupam Palit’s appointment to CEO represents a vote of confidence in internal leadership and continuity. Having previously served as Stova's President and Chief Financial Officer, Palit brings a deep understanding of the company’s financial and operational mechanics. His tenure, which some sources indicate has spanned over a decade in various leadership capacities, has been integral to the company's growth and efficiency. His promotion ensures a steady hand guides the company as it competes against major players like Cvent, Bizzabo, and Whova.

Palit’s extensive background in the events industry, which includes leadership roles at B2B tradeshow organizer Penton (now part of Informa) and live event platform Leap Event Technology, equips him with a panoramic view of the ecosystem. He steps into his new role with a clear focus on client partnership and market innovation.

“I am excited to step into the CEO role at Stova,” Palit said in a statement. “I have never been more confident of Stova’s ability to develop innovative solutions for the market. I look forward to building on the foundation the team has established, continuing to partner with our clients and stakeholders across the entire event ecosystem. It’s an incredibly exciting time to be in this industry that we at Stova have such passion for.”

The move was endorsed by Stova’s lead investor, Sunstone Partners. “We greatly appreciate Kirk’s accomplishments over the last three years as a Board member and CEO of Stova,” said Michael Biggee, Managing Partner at Sunstone Partners. “We are excited for Anupam’s expanded role and appreciative that Kirk will remain on the Board to help guide Stova’s long-term strategic trajectory.”

The Strategic Imperative of 'Agentic AI'

While Palit focuses on steering the core business, Kirk Ziehm’s new mandate as Vice Chairman is sharply defined: to lead Stova's charge into the next frontier of artificial intelligence. His transition from the CEO office to a dedicated AI strategist underscores the technology's critical importance to Stova's future relevance and growth.

Ziehm, who joined Stova’s board in 2023 and was appointed CEO in January 2024, pointed to the powerful forces reshaping the industry. “In the last several months, we’ve seen enormous changes in the industry, from widespread technology vendor consolidation to rapidly evolving client experience expectations, to the emergence of agentic AI,” he noted. “I look forward to supporting Anupam in continuing to embrace these ground-breaking opportunities.”

The term agentic AI is key to understanding Stova’s strategic pivot. Unlike traditional AI models that react to prompts, agentic AI refers to autonomous systems capable of learning, reasoning, and taking proactive action to achieve goals with minimal human intervention. In the context of event management, its potential is transformative. Such systems could one day autonomously manage complex logistics, personalize attendee schedules in real-time based on behavior, predict resource needs, and provide deep, actionable insights without requiring a team of data scientists.

By dedicating a top executive to this domain, Stova is signaling its intent to move beyond basic automation and build a platform that is not just a tool, but an intelligent partner for event organizers.

Navigating Consolidation and Evolving Expectations

Stova’s leadership shuffle is a direct response to the intense pressures of the modern event tech market. The industry has seen a wave of mergers and acquisitions, creating larger, all-in-one platforms and putting immense pressure on smaller or less-differentiated players. In this environment, companies must either scale rapidly or innovate in ways that create a defensible competitive advantage.

Stova appears to be pursuing a strategy that does both. Palit's leadership is geared towards strengthening the company's foundational offerings—a comprehensive suite of tools for event planning, registration, mobile experience, and analytics—to ensure it remains a reliable and robust choice for clients managing complex in-person, virtual, and hybrid events. This focus on operational excellence is crucial for retaining and growing its customer base in a competitive field.

Simultaneously, Ziehm's AI focus is the forward-looking bet intended to leapfrog competitors. As client expectations evolve beyond simple registration pages to demand hyper-personalized experiences, seamless digital integration, and demonstrable return on investment, AI becomes the engine for delivering that value. From AI-powered matchmaking that connects attendees with relevant peers to predictive analytics that optimize event flow, the technology directly addresses the industry's most pressing demands. This dual-pronged strategy—fortifying the core while investing heavily in next-generation technology—is Stova’s blueprint for not just surviving the industry’s shake-up, but emerging as a leader within it.