Veteran executive and former RealPage president Dirk Wakeham has been named president and chief executive officer of the Richardson-based real estate software provider, effective immediately.

Wakeham succeeds Dana Jones, who became CEO in 2021. He also joins RealPage’s board of directors, the company said.

In announcing the change, RealPage Board Chair Charles Goodman thanked Jones for her “tremendous contributions” and called her “a trusted leader through a period of significant transformation and growth,” adding, “We wish her every success in her next chapter.”

Goodman said the board is bringing Wakeham and his deep industry roots back to RealPage with an eye on scale and technology leadership.

“I’m confident that Dirk will propel RealPage’s growth and reinforce its position as the technology partner of choice for the real estate industry,” he said in a statement.

Wakeham called the move a homecoming.

“Returning to RealPage feels like coming home,” he said. “I’m honored to step into this role at such an important moment for the company and our industry.”

Wakeham, who was president at RealPage from 2009 to 20212, said the company’s success has always been rooted in partnership and trust.

“Together, with our customers, we’ll continue creating vibrant communities that deliver great living experiences and help residents achieve financial wellness and lasting success,” he said.

A long history in proptech and multifamily

RealPage said Wakeham brings decades of leadership across software, SaaS, and multifamily real estate. According to the company and his LinkedIn profile, he has served as a six-time CEO and president for software and SaaS organizations with a focus on proptech and fintech, and has built and scaled businesses through both organic growth and acquisitions.

Most recently, Wakeham was managing director at Vista Equity Partners, working with portfolio company leadership teams on strategy, operations, and growth. He has held board roles at companies including Leonardo247, StarRez, and cybersecurity firm Critical Start, advising on expansion, AI-driven product innovation, and operational scale.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Wakeham founded LeasingDesk in 2000, building renters-insurance and risk-mitigation tools for the multifamily industry and steering the company through the dot-com downturn before selling it to RealPage in 2007. He later served as president of RealPage for three years, where he says he helped lead the company through “transformational growth,” with revenue increasing from roughly $140 million to $320 million and culminating in RealPage’s 2010 IPO, per his profile.

Wakeham later led Zego as CEO, steering its expansion into a proptech platform serving thousands of property managers and millions of residential units. In 2020, he led the company’s sale to Global Payments in an all-cash transaction valued at $925 million, according to his profile. He’s also held senior leadership roles at Vista portfolio companies Kibo and Lanyon and advised or invested in firms such as Parcel Pending and Rentlytics, both of which were acquired.

Jones’ tenure and AI push

A reason for Jones’ departure was not provided in the company’s public statements.

Jones served as RealPage’s president and CEO for more than four years. Under her leadership, RealPage sharpened its operational discipline, strengthened its financial foundations, and accelerated innovation in AI and resident experience, the company said.

Jones oversaw development of the Lumina AI Data Platform and the Lumina AI Workforce, which RealPage positions as central to its AI strategy. In June, Dallas Innovates covered the launch of Lumina AI Workforce and the company’s strategic collaboration with OpenAI.

At the time, Jones called the rollout a “defining moment” for the multifamily industry and said it would usher in an “era where intelligent agents work in harmony to transform how properties operate,” with AI agents automating functions across leasing, operations, and finance.

Before her departure, she remained publicly active, emphasizing AI innovation and product expansion in social media posts and company announcements earlier in 2025.

AI-powered scale and scope

RealPage, which is owned by private equity firm Thoma Bravo, describes itself as a platform for AI-powered real estate operations, connecting property owners, operators, and residents across the entire rental cycle.

The company says its technology helps manage marketing, leasing, operations, and finances for more than 24 million rental units worldwide.

Earlier this year, RealPage expanded its footprint by acquiring Rexera’s agentic AI workforce and merging it with the RealPage HomeWiseDocs HOA platform. The company says the combination forms the first nationwide platform designed to deliver real estate transaction and operations services at scale.

RealPage is also involved in ongoing litigation related to its software, including a federal class action lawsuit and a U.S. Department of Justice antitrust case.

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