Brad Garlinghouse

Brad Garlinghouse is a prominent figure in the financial technology sector, currently serving as the CEO of Ripple, a company revolutionizing cross-border payments through blockchain technology. Garlinghouse has a diverse background in leadership and innovation, having previously been the CEO and Chairman of Hightail (formerly YouSendIt), a well-known file-sharing platform. His career also includes significant roles at major tech companies; he was the President of Consumer Applications at AOL and served as Senior Vice President at Yahoo!, where he managed key services like Yahoo! Mail and Flickr. It was during his tenure at Yahoo! that he authored the influential "Peanut Butter Manifesto," advocating for a strategic shift at the company.

Garlinghouse's extensive experience extends beyond Ripple and Hightail. He has held roles at notable firms such as Silver Lake Partners, @Ventures, and SBC Communications, and he was CEO of Dialpad Communications. His deep understanding of the tech landscape has made him an active angel investor in over 40 companies, including ventures like Pure Storage, Diffbot, and Indigo Agriculture. Additionally, he serves on the board of Animoto and OutMatch and has held board positions at Ancestry.com and Tonic Health, further demonstrating his commitment to fostering innovation across various industries.

Academically, Garlinghouse holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Kansas and an MBA from Harvard Business School. This strong educational foundation has equipped him with the skills necessary to navigate the intersection of finance and technology effectively. His vision for Ripple encompasses not only enhancing payment processes for financial institutions but also advocating for a regulatory framework that supports the growth of cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies.

As a thought leader in the fintech space, Garlinghouse frequently speaks at industry events, sharing insights on the future of finance and the transformative potential of blockchain. His leadership at Ripple reflects a dedication to not only improving financial systems but also engaging with regulators and stakeholders to shape a more efficient and inclusive global economy.