Oracle Corporation has named Hilary Maxson as its new chief financial officer, bringing in an executive with strong experience in energy and infrastructure as it expands its cloud and artificial intelligence operations.
The appointment takes effect immediately. Maxson joins from Schneider Electric, where she served as group CFO.
The company generates more than $45 billion in annual revenue and has seen strong demand linked to data centre growth.
At Oracle, she steps into the role at a time when spending is increasing. The company has been investing heavily in data centres, multicloud systems and AI-ready infrastructure. Demand for those services continues to outpace supply.
Maxson said she would focus on disciplined investment. “I aim to ensure continued disciplined investment for creating lasting value for both customers and shareholders.”
Her background in energy could prove useful. Data centres require large amounts of power, and efficiency has become a growing concern as companies scale AI systems. Oracle has been increasing capacity while managing the cost and complexity that comes with it.
Oracle is growing fast, but that growth is expensive. The company has taken on more debt to support its build-out, and investors are watching closely.
In its latest quarter, Oracle reported its best results in 15 years, with revenue growth above 20%. Even so, its stock has struggled this year. Shares were trading around $146 on April 6, still about 25% below their 52-week high despite a slight rise in early trading.
Investors have pointed to the high debt levels and the cost of scaling AI infrastructure. Competition is also intense, with companies like Microsoft, Amazon and Google continuing to invest heavily in their own cloud platforms.
Maxson, 48, will receive a base salary of $950,000 and is eligible for a performance-based bonus with a target of $2.5 million, according to a regulatory filing.
Her appointment also brings a change in leadership structure. Doug Kehring, who has handled the finance role for the past six months, will step down and return to leading go-to-market operations.
Hilary Maxson will report directly to Oracle CEO Clay Magouyrk, revealing a stronger link between finance and the company’s cloud growth plans.
