Kyriba’s Rise as the Latest Tech Unicorn

A busy year so far, in 2019 Kyriba not only finalized its first acquisition, thus expanding its FX management offerings but also closed a $160 million growth investment round led by Bridgepoint. These recent developments have secured Kyriba’s place as the latest tech unicorn, but how did Kyriba achieve this status?

Last month, Kyriba chairman and CEO, Jean-Luc Robert, took the stage at San Diego Startup Week with the CEOs from Seismic and Tealium. The panel, moderated by the managing director of Silicon Valley Bank, dove into each companies’ path and strategy for growing its talent pool. Below are a few of the questions Jean-Luc received and his answers surrounding the company’s growth and lessons he’s learned along the way.

Q: Why did you start your company in San Diego?

Jean-Luc: I love San Diego. My wife and I visited more than 20 years ago to be closer to family – I’d say we’re here to stay. The San Diego-area has the right talent and is a great place to live.

Q: Why is Kyriba poised for success today?

Jean-Luc: The economic environment is volatile and is growing increasingly complex, something that is not going to change. Kyriba helps CFOs manage volatility by optimizing visibility, protection, mobility and growth of their cash resources.

Q: How did you grow the company?

Jean-Luc: It’s easy to find the right VC to help you grow; the market has more cash than ideas to invest in. They key is to build the right time. Talent is key and keeping a good team together is critical, especially for a global organization.

Q: How do you implement change?

Jean-Luc: This is the most difficult part of managing a global organization. Managing expectations is important and communication is important. We are now at 800 employees and will be at 2,000 in a couple of years. Growth is challenging and we do all we can to help people adjust to change.

Q: How has diversity helped accelerate your growth?

Jean-Luc: We are a diverse company and that’s a huge part of what helps us grow. Culturally, we are very diverse and that makes it interesting for everyone who works at the company.

Q: How does work/life balance get addressed when it comes to recruiting new talent?

Jean-Luc: We work to be proactive about our culture and go out of our way to invest in developing the best experience for our team. We invest in making a friendly and accommodating work environment for everyone.

As Kyriba’s success continues, so too does the success of its employees and clients. To learn more about Kyriba’s treasury and finance offerings, the fuel behind its growth and unicorn-status, download our solutions fact sheet.