Help Scout Welcomes Toby Gabriner as Chief Executive Officer

Today, we're excited to announce that Toby Gabriner has been appointed as Help Scout's new Chief Executive Officer. Gabriner brings more than two decades of experience scaling customer-centered B2B software businesses. He joins at a moment when AI is transforming what support teams can do, what customers expect, and what a great support platform needs to be.

A new leader for a new era

Customer support is changing fast, and Help Scout is well-positioned to lead the shift by doing what we've always done — putting customers first and keeping humans at the center of support. Gabriner's experience in product-led growth and platform expansion makes him the ideal leader to take Help Scout into its next chapter. He has a track record of building durable, meaningful growth while staying true to product and customer experience.

Gabriner joins Help Scout from Bitly, the link management and digital engagement platform, where he served as CEO from 2020 to 2025. During his tenure, he transformed Bitly from a single-purpose link shortening tool into a multi-product platform spanning traffic analytics, campaign management, and QR code solutions — all fueled by a consistent goal of delivering exponentially more value to customers.

Customers at the center 

"I care deeply about customers, about the people who build great products for them, and about the kind of company culture that makes both possible," Gabriner said. "That's a big part of why Help Scout felt so right. This team has already done something hard: built a product that people genuinely love while establishing a values-driven culture along the way."

On his first day at Help Scout, Gabriner shared how much he loved that the platform is designed for the people doing the work, not just the ones making buying decisions. "That instinct for intuitive design and human connection is rare, and it's the right foundation for where customer support is headed," he said. "Businesses that rely on great support are everywhere, and the bar for what 'great' looks like is rising fast. Help Scout has the product, the trust, and the team to meet that moment."

That moment is being shaped, in no small part, by AI.

What comes next

Gabriner recognizes that we're at a genuine inflection point. AI is changing how we work internally and creating real opportunities to make the Help Scout platform more powerful for our customers. Leaning into that thoughtfully — with our customers at the heart of every decision — is one of the most important things we can do right now. 

Help Scout was built around the belief that great support is a competitive advantage. As the industry evolves, our company mission remains unchanged: helping growing businesses deliver smarter, more meaningful support that scales with them. Gabriner is stepping in ready to carry that mission into a new era.

Talking with customers to understand their needs is among his first priorities, and in the coming weeks, he'll be engaging directly with the community that makes Help Scout what it is. That's how Help Scout was built, and it's how we'll continue to grow.