People are the lifeblood of any organization, but so rarely do they receive the spotlight like the innovative applications and services, company missions, and devoted customer communities they work so hard to create. We want to change that.
At JumpCloud every individual makes a difference, and their work matters no matter what function they hold. This ongoing series aims to showcase the personalities and contributions of every JumpCloudian and share the spotlight with the people who work hard every day to help Make Work HappenTM.
Denis Dorval (He/Him)
VP of EMEA
London, England, United Kingdom
We recently caught up with Denis Dorval, JumpCloud’s Vice President of EMEA.
How did you first learn about JumpCloud? A CRO at a U.S. tech company introduced me to Kevin Biggs (JumpCloud’s CRO) when Kevin started looking for someone to lead EMEA for JumpCloud.
What past experience do you bring to this role? Over the last 15 years, I have mostly worked for technology software companies who were either creating a new market (Apigee with API management) or disrupting an existing one (Alfresco with open source enterprise content management). This experience echoes the “Think Big” pillar of JumpCloud’s core values, which I strongly connect with. The first 10 years of my career were spent on the product side of the house, developing software and helping customers implement it. I then switched to sales and go-to-market leadership positions about 20 years ago. I have been fortunate to work with great people at great companies over the last 30 years, helping companies grow and scale fast in EMEA. There’s so much learning along the way, including many mistakes but also doing many things right, and building great foundations for sustained success for all stakeholders involved: customers, partners, and the team.
How do you see yourself growing as an individual at JumpCloud? I have always been curious and am convinced that you never stop learning. I also confess that I never plan much when it comes to “growing as an individual.” I believe that you need to be driven by your passion, be curious, and do things that interest you and where you can have an impact and make a significant contribution. At least that has worked for me and that is how I keep going in my professional life. The charter for my role is clear for the next few years: building and scaling the JumpCloud GTM function and teams in EMEA. And I know that I will learn a lot along the way and will have the opportunity to share my experience with other JumpCloudians, customers, and partners.
What excites you about working at JumpCloud? When I look at a new opportunity, I always look at three things: the market opportunity, the technology/product, and the people behind it. And I need to be 100% convinced on these three aspects. For example, 1) Market opportunity: I like going after a huge Total Addressable Market (TAM), from both scale/size in terms of potential customers as well as geographies. 2) I need to “connect” with the product/technology that is behind the overall business value proposition; and my “sweet spot” there is to go with “disruptive” product/technology. I love the opportunity to tell your market “Hey … things have moved on, it’s time to do these things in a different, a better way.” This philosophy executes on Ford’s famous quote: “If I asked people what they wanted … they would have told me ‘faster horses.’” And 3) the people/team behind the company, which includes everything from the founding team to the culture being built. Building great companies and going BIG after a market is no small feat. It is super exciting, but let’s face it, it is hard. If it was easy, someone would have done it already. You can only do that with people you trust, believe in, and respect and that gives you a feeling of “Hey, … these are really great, cool people and I can see myself joining that team, contributing, etc.”
When I started the discussions with Kevin and the executive leadership team, all three aspects came together in a very natural sort of way. The cherry on the cake for me was also the “purpose” behind JumpCloud. When your solution makes the life of IT professionals easier, simpler, and safer, from boutique SMEs to >1K employee organizations, it is very fulfilling. That contribution to make the SME economy work “better,” “safer,” and in a more productive and efficient way for all is really cool. You serve a good purpose and that is also one of the reasons that got me very excited to join JumpCloud.
What do you like to do outside of your job? I like to maintain good physical condition by working out regularly, including golf and hiking. I also enjoy reading and inviting friends and family over on weekends for dining [I like to cook] and nice wine [well, … I am French].
What book or movie have you recently read/seen and why would you recommend it? The movie Respect, a biopic based on Aretha Franklin’s career. I did not know much of her life and I found the movie insightful and moving. Artists are unique characters, going from highs to lows in their life sometimes. But they have a special way to move people through their talent and way of performing. I have always admired that skill.
What’s something you’re planning to do in the next year that you’ve never done? A trip to the remote islands of St. Kilda with my father (almost 82 years old) and my two brothers. St. Kilda is a small isolated archipelago located 40 miles west of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. We were planning to do that for his 80th birthday in 2020 but it got cancelled twice because of COVID-19 restrictions.
What is your 15 minutes of fame? In 1997, I received a formal citation and ceremony held by the Philippines Commissioner of Customs in my honor for my contribution to the computerisation of the Philippines Customs Bureau (I spent 2 ½ years in Manila to implement the software).
If you could only eat one item for every meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Apples — an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Want to Make Work HappenTM at JumpCloud like Denis? Join our team of dedicated, passionate, and creative people who are eager to change the IT industry forever. Take a look at our current job openings here.
