PowerSchool names Antonio Pietri as new CEO, replacing Hardeep Gulati in October

Antonio Pietri will take over as CEO of PowerSchool on October 6, 2025, following Hardeep Gulati’s decade-long tenure leading the edtech company.

Photo credit: Hardeep Gulati

PowerSchool has named Antonio Pietri as its next Chief Executive Officer, effective October 6, 2025. He will take over from Hardeep Gulati, who steps down after more than ten years in the role. Gulati will continue to support the transition as Senior Advisor to the CEO and Board.

Pietri joins from Aspen Technology, where he served as President and CEO since 2013. He led the publicly traded software company through sustained growth and a recent acquisition by Emerson. His appointment marks a shift as PowerSchool looks to scale its operations further, following a period of platform expansion and acquisitions under Gulati.

Based in California, PowerSchool provides cloud-based software used by K–12 institutions across 90 countries. Its product suite includes tools for student data, instruction, assessment, human resources, professional development, and college and career readiness.

Strategic shift follows cybersecurity challenges and platform growth

Gulati’s leadership saw the consolidation of fragmented education technologies into a unified platform, with key acquisitions including Schoology Learning and Naviance CCLR. He also oversaw the company’s expansion into data analytics and AI-powered tools aimed at supporting educators, students, and school systems.

The leadership change comes shortly after a significant cybersecurity incident affecting PowerSchool’s Naviance platform. In May 2025, the company confirmed that unauthorized actors had accessed school district accounts via compromised credentials, exposing sensitive student records. Affected data included student IDs, GPAs, test scores, and demographic information.

Reflecting on his tenure in a LinkedIn post, Gulati writes, “Ten years later, I’m proud how we’ve grown PowerSchool into a trusted global platform supporting more than 60 million students across 90 countries.” He adds that PowerSchool is evolving with “powerful innovations, including AI and data-driven tools that help educators personalize support for students, families, and school systems.”

He also notes that he will continue leading the company through the summer and will speak at its EDGE user conference later in July.

Incoming CEO expected to drive next growth phase

Pietri brings experience in building software businesses across complex sectors. PowerSchool’s majority investor, Bain Capital, says his background in scaling product-led firms aligns with the company’s long-term direction.

Pietri says, “PowerSchool is uniquely positioned to shape the future of K–12 education technology. The company has built a strong foundation under Hardeep’s leadership, and I look forward to working with this talented team to accelerate our mission of delivering education software that drives better student outcomes and empowers educators nationwide.”