A step towards the future of Customer Success: Meet our new Head of AI

We’re thrilled to welcome Tim Budden as our new Head of AI at Velaris!

Tim’s been working in AI long before Large Language Models (LLMs) became mainstream, and his experience speaks for itself. With a DPhil in Foundations of Physics from Oxford and a Master’s from Cambridge, he’s spent over 13 years leading AI-driven transformations at companies like DataSift, Hazy, Meltwater, and Sensat. His expertise in data science, analytics, and AI-first product development makes him the perfect person to lead the next stage of our journey.

At Velaris, we don’t see AI as just another productivity tool—we believe it should be a true intelligence layer that helps teams work smarter, make better decisions, and drive impact like never before. Today, we’re making that vision a reality by building an Agentic Customer Operating System—a system designed to empower Customer Success and post-sales teams with intelligence and execution capabilities they’ve never had before.

Tim will be leading the charge. Unlike traditional AI that just spits out static insights, Agentic AI acts as a 10x team player—automating workflows, pulling together vast amounts of customer data, and guiding CS teams toward the actions that truly move the needle.

As Tim puts it:

“Having worked in AI for a while now, I’ve seen firsthand how the field has evolved—and, to my mind, the recent breakthroughs mark an inflection point. Turning such breakthroughs into real value isn’t easy—it requires a deep understanding of both the problem space and the technology, along with creativity and energy. Velaris has the vision, ambition, and talent to pioneer a new era of intelligent customer operations, and I can’t wait to help bring that vision to life!”

We believe AI should amplify human expertise, not replace it. It’s about removing the noise, surfacing the right opportunities, and freeing CSMs to do what they do best—build relationships and drive growth.

Our CEO, Dilanka Kalutota, summed it up perfectly:

“With AI becoming increasingly commoditized, it’s easy to get lost in the hype. We wanted more than surface-level summarization—we wanted real transformation. Tim’s deep technical expertise and product-driven mindset make him the perfect leader to drive an AI-first revolution in Customer Success and Operations. Under his leadership, we’re redefining how customer-centric businesses run their operations.”

With Tim at the helm, Velaris is doubling down on AI in a way that sets a new standard for how Customer Success teams operate. And this is just the beginning—stay tuned for more on how we’re bringing the first truly Agentic Customer Operating System to life.