---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001104659-23-066017"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: null
cik: "0001929589"
company_name: "MariaDB plc"
filed_at: "2023-05-30T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-14T12:08:03.190817+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.7
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# MariaDB appoints Paul O'Brien as CEO; Michael Howard resigns, remains on board

## Summary
- Paul O'Brien named CEO and director effective May 26, 2023; previously SVP Sales and Field Operations.
- O'Brien receives $450K base salary plus $200K target bonus for FY2023; equity grants pending.
- Former CEO Michael Howard gets 12 months salary ($425K), bonus, option vesting acceleration, and extension to exercise 1,058,619 options.
- Tom Siegel appointed CRO and Jonah Harris as CTO effective June 5, 2023.
- Company targets $100M ARR by end of 2025; O'Brien cites strong cloud product momentum.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001104659-23-066017
- form_type: 8-K
- cik: 0001929589
- company_name: MariaDB plc
- filed_at: 2023-05-30T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.7
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1929589/000110465923066017/0001104659-23-066017-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1929589/000110465923066017/tm2317206d1_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-23-066017
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-23-066017.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-23-066017.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Paul O'Brien was appointed as Director at MariaDB plc.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Director
  source text: Mr. O’Brien has been appointed by the Board to serve as a director of the Board, effective May 26, 2023.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1929589/000110465923066017/0001104659-23-066017-index.htm
- Executive change
  Paul O'Brien was appointed as Chief Executive Officer at MariaDB plc.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Chief Executive Officer
  source text: Paul O’Brien, has been appointed by the Board to serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective May 26, 2023
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1929589/000110465923066017/0001104659-23-066017-index.htm
- Executive change
  Michael Howard resigned as Chief Executive Officer at MariaDB plc.
  - Action: resigned
  - Role: Chief Executive Officer
  source text: Michael Howard has resigned as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, effective May 26, 2023.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1929589/000110465923066017/0001104659-23-066017-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.