Seksom Suriyapa

Vice President, Corporate Development

Born:
Bridgeport, CT, but Toledo, OH is my real hometown

Prior Experience:
McAfee - SVP, Corporate Development
Mayfield Fund - Entrepreneur-in-Residence
Webroot Software - SVP, Business Development
Morgan Stanley Technology Investment Banking - VP, Corporate Finance
Ministry of Finance, Thailand - Special Assistant to the Minister of Finance
Goldman Sachs - Financial Analyst, Capital Markets

Education:
Williams College - BA (Hons), History
INSEAD Business School, MBA
Stanford Law School - JD
Member, State Bar of California

What I like to do outside of work:
Spending time with my wife and young son is the activity I enjoy most.

I also enjoy all types of outdoor activity (hiking, biking, skiing, running, and camping), reversing the effects of the physical activity with great cuisine and wine, writing and reading fiction, playing the (classical) piano, staying in touch with friends, and giving back to the community through both non-profit boards and getting my hands dirty volunteering. I also periodically display my optimistic character by cheering on Stanford Athletics and the US Men’s Soccer team.

Q: Where in your background did you learn the most?
A: My very first job out of college as a Financial Analyst at Goldman Sachs. Goldman somehow transformed me from a historian into an investment banker in the course of a few weeks. While there, I had the good fortune to work with and observe in action some of the world’s greatest business minds, united as a real team to serve the customer. The thing that always stuck to me comes from the Business Principles, which we were quickly exposed to as trainees: "Our clients' interests always come first. Our experience shows that if we serve our clients well, our own success will follow." So simple, yet so true. If you can remember only that, it makes succeeding in business much easier...

Q: If you could meet one person in history, who would you meet and why?
A: Leonardo da Vinci. As someone with deep interests across a wide range of disciplines - art, science, and literature -, I can’t think of anyone who has achieved such distinction in so many dimensions. The only thing that would keep us from having a good conversation would be my non-existent Italian.

Q: What's been your biggest surprise during your time at SuccessFactors?
A: This company is truly aligned with the image it projects to the outside world. No BS. A skeptic at heart, I am always looking for the cracks. And I haven’t found them yet. What a great surprise...

Q: If you had 20 seconds to tell a new client about why they should use SuccessFactors, what would you say?
A: Instead of telling them why they should use SuccessFactors, I would encourage them to call any number of our 2000+ customers to ask that question. The result speaks for itself.

Q: Why are you proud to work at SuccessFactors?
A: SuccessFactors has the potential to change the world, making the work experience much closer to the ideal that it can be. To be a part of the team making that happen is extremely motivating. And when I look at around at my colleagues, I get totally charged up by the level of talent and passion that surrounds me.