ServiceNow has named Hossein Nowbar, former Microsoft Chief Legal Officer, to run its global legal and governance operations.
The hire comes as the company pushes forward with a series of high-profile acquisitions, including AI-powered Logik.ai and cybersecurity firm Armis – signalling an accelerated drive into AI-driven workflows and enterprise automation.
Brad Smith, Microsoft president, praised Nowbar’s move: “Having worked closely with Hossein for more than 25 years, I can say first-hand that ServiceNow is incredibly fortunate to have him.”
Nowbar himself has described law as a catalyst for innovation rather than just a safeguard – an approach that will shape ServiceNow’s governance as it integrates new technologies and expands AI capabilities.
AI-Driven Acquisitions
Nowbar joins the company amid a flurry of acquisitions.
Logik.ai, acquired in April 2025, adds AI-powered Configure, Price, Quote tools to ServiceNow’s CRM offerings, while the $7.75 billion Armis acquisition, announced in December, strengthens enterprise security visibility.
Other acquisitions include Moveworks, Cuein, data.world, Quality 360, and Veza, creating a broad technology stack for intelligent workflow and data management.
These capabilities reduce manual effort, improve pricing accuracy, and accelerate enterprise sales cycles.
The technology is expected to enhance workflow automation across customer service, sales operations, and other business functions that rely on fast, reliable enterprise data.
Meanwhile, the Armis acquisition will give ServiceNow expanded security visibility and data collection across enterprise IT environments.
Forrester VP Charles Betz noted that combining Armis with data.world, a cloud-native data catalog and governance platform, makes ServiceNow’s CMDB and data discovery capabilities “an order of magnitude” more powerful. Together with Cuein, Quality 360, and Veza, these acquisitions reflect a strategic focus on unifying AI, data, and automation to strengthen enterprise workflows.
The combined impact of these acquisitions positions ServiceNow to offer a more integrated platform that can manage IT, CRM, security, and analytics workflows seamlessly, giving enterprises a single environment to automate complex operations and improve operational efficiency.
Nowbar’s Role: Legal Oversight at Scale
At ServiceNow, Nowbar’s remit covers global legal operations, governance, compliance, risk, corporate and government affairs, and ServiceNow.org’s impact and sustainability initiatives.
His experience navigating antitrust, regulatory compliance, and AI policy will be critical as the company integrates new acquisitions, deploys AI-driven services, and scales globally.
Nowbar’s track record at Microsoft demonstrates his ability to oversee large-scale mergers, develop AI-related legal frameworks, and support enterprise product launches, all of which will be directly relevant as ServiceNow grows its platform and data capabilities.
“Hossein brings the leadership this moment demands as we accelerate our profitable global growth strategy,” said Bill McDermott, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ServiceNow.
“Having served as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to senior technology and policy leaders at Microsoft, he has seen firsthand what world-class legal and corporate governance looks like at scale. Hossein represents a strategic addition as we enter our next phase of growth while upholding the trust of our customers, shareholders, and partners worldwide.”
“I’m thrilled to join ServiceNow at such an exciting moment for both the company and the enterprise software industry, and deeply grateful for my time with Brad and the entire Microsoft team,” said Nowbar.
“Bill’s vision for ServiceNow’s future and the scale opportunities he’s driving are inspiring. I look forward to partnering with him and this exceptional team to strengthen a world-class legal, policy and governance framework that enables innovation and customer success while upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability.”
Strategic Implications for Enterprise Service Management
ServiceNow’s combination of legal, AI, and M&A leadership positions the company to remain at the forefront of enterprise service management.
The Logik.ai integration, along with enhanced data capabilities from Armis and data.world, allows ServiceNow to offer more intelligent, automated workflows that extend across IT, CRM, and security operations.
The company’s moves also highlight a broader industry trend: service management platforms are increasingly leveraging AI and advanced data analytics to deliver intelligent, automated workflows across multiple business functions.
For enterprises, this translates into faster, more accurate sales processes, improved compliance, and operational efficiency — all underpinned by governance frameworks led by experienced legal leadership.
Looking Ahead
With Nowbar now at the helm of its legal and governance functions, and a series of strategic acquisitions in place, ServiceNow is signalling its intent to lead the next wave of enterprise workflow automation.
Analysts and customers will be watching closely to see how these moves enhance platform capabilities, maintain regulatory confidence, and reinforce competitive positioning in an increasingly AI-driven, data-centric market.
ServiceNow’s aggressive expansion, combined with experienced legal oversight and targeted AI acquisitions, positions the company to reshape enterprise workflows, accelerate AI adoption, and set new benchmarks for service management efficiency, data intelligence, and corporate governance.
