Atlanta Business Chronicle just named our list of Atlanta’s Most Admired CEOs of 2019. They are scheduled to be honored on Aug. 22 at an awards event at The Fairmont. Here’s a Q&A with one of the honorees, Kabir Barday, president and CEO of OneTrust.
Q: What can other CEOs can do to win such great admiration from their stakeholders?
A: We work in an open, transparent environment. We don’t have offices or cubicles, and I encourage people to change where they sit based on the project they’re working on to be with the right people. My motivating team members to take control over their work projects and equipping them with what they need to be successful, they’re not just creating a good product for the business, they’re able to really feel success and see how that success impacts the business.
Q: What are the keys to CEOs building a high level of trust in their organizations?
A: Be open and transparent with your teams. I host monthly all hands that more a state of the union – I am open and honest with my team, we celebrate success and analyze failures. I set our top priorities for the quarter so everyone as a company – from HR to sales to development – are motivated in the right direction. We don’t have titles, we hire from within and we encourage internal transfers so everyone gets to focus on what matters – fulfilling work focused on our shared company goals.
Q: What does leadership and being a leader mean to you?
A: The best leaders surround themselves with the best leaders. I have been fortunate to bring much of the leadership from my previous company to OneTrust. We are able to get results so much faster because we’ve worked together, we trust each other, we understand one another and we aren’t afraid to speak up. While I am focused and involved in every area of the business, I lean on my leadership team to really be the expert in their area and listen to their advice.
Q: Please explain how you and your organization make tough decisions.
A: Always focus on what’s best for the business. We need to be able to adapt, shift and act rapidly to win in our market and that comes with tough decisions. Even if it means looking at a team that’s done a lot of work toward a project and saying, ‘we need to start over and shift because the market is going another way.’ If it’s best for the business, it’s best for the company and best for our team.
Q: Please give some details about one of your top accomplishments of the past year that you are most proud of.
A: It’s been an incredible year for OneTrust – we launched a dozen new products, were ranked highest in the first analyst report comparing vendors in our market, we were named a Fast Company World’s Most Innovative, Atlanta’s #1 fastest-growing company and I was named an EY Entrepreneur of the Year in the Southeast. But above all these huge wins would have to be the moment we announced our $200m Series A funding valuing us at $1.3b. The funding is a testament to the hard work our 1,000 employees across the globe have put in every day to make OneTrust a success and was an incredible moment for us to come together and celebrate our success.
Q: How is your organization changing or adapting to prepare for the future?
A: We’re not afraid to shift our strategy as the market needs adapt. We’re 1,000 people strong yes, but still have the startup mentality where we can pivot and execute to build what our customers need to be successful.
Q: What top piece of advice would you share with other CEOs?
A: You can be relentless, competitive and innovate while also providing a balanced and flexible work environment. Early on I thought in order to win in our market it was work and nothing else, and now I know our success relies on a healthy balance for our employees. I’m proud of the new benefits we’ve added in the last year (20+ days paid time off, parental leave, 401k, better health plans, wellness programs, manager training, etc.) that support building a great workplace culture.
