COMPANY INFO
Cresta's actual company name is Cresta Intelligence, Inc. It was founded in 2017 by Sebastian Thrun, Shan Huang, and Tim Shi. The company has between 201 and 500 employees and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Cresta operates in the Artificial Intelligence industry, focusing on generative AI solutions for contact centers. The company uses AI to assist sales and service agents by providing real-time intelligence and tools to improve customer service quality and operational efficiency. Their platform integrates human and AI agents to enhance communication, reduce costs, and increase revenue for businesses. The official website is https://cresta.com.
Cresta Intelligence, Inc. is a leading provider of artificial intelligence solutions focused on transforming contact centers with generative AI technology. The company integrates advanced AI with human agents to improve customer service experiences, reduce operational costs, and increase business revenue.
Cresta’s executive leadership team brings together seasoned professionals from AI research, technology development, enterprise sales, finance, and marketing. The Cresta Intelligence, Inc. management team is known for its deep expertise in artificial intelligence, SaaS business strategy, and enterprise customer growth, steering the company’s rapid expansion and positioning Cresta Intelligence, Inc. as a market leader in AI-driven contact center solutions. From technical visionaries and AI founders to accomplished go-to-market leaders, the Cresta Intelligence, Inc. executives are driving innovation and scaling global impact.
In his role as CEO since August 2021, Ping Wu has guided Cresta Intelligence, Inc. through a pivotal expansion period, overseeing every aspect of product strategy, market execution, and capital fundraising—including a $125M Series D financing in 2024. Wu’s leadership has not only enabled triple-digit growth but also secured large-scale customer deployments with Fortune 500 enterprises, enhancing Cresta Intelligence, Inc.’s position as a trailblazer in AI-powered contact center solutions.
Wu holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from UC Santa Barbara and a Bachelor’s degree from Fudan University. Prior to joining Cresta Intelligence, Inc., he co-founded Google’s Contact Center AI (CCAI) and Vertex AI platforms, scaling them into multi-hundred-million-dollar businesses. Wu’s decade-long tenure at Google culminated as Senior Director of Engineering, and he gained early technical experience at IBM Almaden and Microsoft Research Asia.
As Co-Founder and CTO, Tim Shi drives research and development for Cresta Intelligence, Inc., bringing to life the core AI models powering real-time agent assistance and conversation intelligence. Under his leadership, the company has launched AI Agent Copilot and Virtual Agent features, delivering measurable improvements in customer close rates and reduced handle times, key to Cresta Intelligence, Inc. leadership in the AI contact center domain.
Shi studied Computer Science at Stanford University, departing from his Ph.D. program to co-found Cresta Intelligence, Inc. in 2017. With a background as a research scientist at OpenAI, publications in top-tier AI conferences, and prior experience in research at DJI, Shi is recognized for deep learning expertise and as a pivotal force among the company’s founders.
[Since April 2024, Russell Banzon has elevated the Cresta Intelligence, Inc. brand, leading a data-driven marketing transformation that more than doubled pipeline growth and extended the company’s reach among enterprise clients such as CarMax and Hilton. Banzon’s marketing initiatives have been instrumental in establishing thought leadership, accelerating customer acquisition, and enhancing the company’s position as a reference point in the AI contact center space.
Banzon holds a B.A. in Financial Economics from the University of San Francisco and began his professional journey in wealth management at Morgan Stanley. He previously led AI-sector marketing initiatives at Gong, helping to scale its ARR from seven to nine figures, and served as global demand generation leader at Talkdesk, bringing deep sector expertise to his current role in Cresta Intelligence, Inc. management.
[Appointed in May 2022, Vahid Manie has been vital in establishing the financial and operational foundation for Cresta Intelligence, Inc.'s hyper-growth. He implemented advanced FP&A systems, drove forward strategic budgeting for R&D and go-to-market, and was a core architect behind the company’s financial readiness for its Series D raise.
Manie holds a degree in Finance and Economics from the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business. Previously, he held senior finance leadership roles at Okta, including Director of FP&A and Senior Director of Finance/Accounting Operations, after launching his finance career at Salesforce. His expertise in scaling finance for high-growth SaaS companies strengthens the Cresta Intelligence, Inc. management team.
[Since July 2023, Alex Cramer has led sales at Cresta Intelligence, Inc., building out enterprise new business and account management units. Cramer has spearheaded strategic deals with major clients such as CVS, United Airlines, and Airbnb, driving revenue to exceed market expectations and earning company-wide recognition for top performance.
A graduate of UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Political Science, Cramer has a strong background in SaaS enterprise sales. He previously served as Vice President of Enterprise Sales at Gong, led North American sales at Firstup, and was part of the early commercial team at Cresta Intelligence, Inc., before returning in his current executive capacity.
[As Chief Customer Officer since 2023, Adam Walton heads customer success, professional services, and support at Cresta Intelligence, Inc., introducing scaled onboarding and high-touch programs that accelerated time-to-value and improved Net Promoter Scores. His efforts have contributed to higher upsell rates and impactful experiences for major accounts.
Walton has a B.Sc. with Joint Honours from the University of Bristol and brings experience from eight years as Chief Operating & Customer Officer at CallMiner. He was also a business development leader at Value Obsession and joined Cresta Intelligence, Inc. as VP of Business Development & Growth before moving into his current leadership role.
[In his Field CTO role since November 2024, Sai Vivek partners with Cresta Intelligence, Inc. customers to align technical solutions with business objectives. Vivek drives proof-of-concept projects and accelerates adoption of the platform’s AI for enterprise clients.
Vivek holds advanced Computer Science degrees and brings two decades of experience from solution architecture and customer engineering roles at Cisco and Genesys, focusing on advancing contact center technologies and implementation for large enterprises.
[Since November 2024, Kali Whiting has led Cresta Intelligence, Inc.’s West region strategic sales, crushing quota targets and securing high-value agreements with major customers like Verizon and United Airlines. Whiting’s implementation of regional GTM and coaching programs improved team performance by 30%, cementing the company’s market leadership in the West.
Whiting completed Executive Education at The Wharton School and previously served as VP of Enterprise Sales at Amperity, in addition to senior account roles at Salesforce and Amperity where she consistently exceeded sales goals and earned President’s Club honors.
[Since January 2025, Craig Nile has been key to expanding Cresta Intelligence, Inc.'s footprint in the West, driving a consultative sales approach with enterprise accounts and growing strategic partnerships to achieve a 40% year-over-year revenue increase in the region.
Nile holds a B.S. in Operations Management from the University of Colorado Boulder. He was previously CRO at Modern Treasury and held senior sales leadership C roles at Slack and Salesforce, where he excelled at scaling teams and increasing recurring revenues for SaaS and fintech businesses.
The Cresta Intelligence, Inc. leadership team combines deep technical AI expertise, enterprise software acumen, and proven go-to-market execution. Under the guidance of the Cresta Intelligence, Inc. CEO and founders, the management structure is well-aligned to drive innovation, operational efficiency, and strong revenue growth. The company’s culture of continuous learning and strategic customer focus is fostered by executives who have demonstrated success in both startup and global technology settings.
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