Highfive’s Next Chapter

Shan Sinha
Sep 5, 2018 · 2 min read

When Jeremy Roy and I started Highfive, we had an unwavering conviction that the tools we use to communicate with each other at work had to change dramatically. The tools we were using at the time we founded Highfive were basically the same ones that our parents used when they worked.

Fast forward 6 years — Highfive is growing 100%+ YoY, supports thousands of incredibly happy customers around the world, hosts hundreds of thousands of meetings every month and has nearly 100 people dedicated to building the next great communications company.

With that context, I’m excited to have reached a new inflection point in Highfive’s history. I’d like to welcome Joe Manuele as our new CEO to lead our company through its next phase of life. Joe brings many things critical for Highfive’s next chapter. Of course, his experience is a perfect match for what we need to do. Joe comes with decades of experience scaling revenues in collaboration & communications businesses. He has a deep understanding on how to activate enterprise channels but more critically has a long history in working with channel partners & service providers to create strong solutions that work for everyone. Next, Joe brings with him relationships to individuals with decades of experience building strong businesses in this category. This includes people like our new CRO, Richard Borenstein and Davide Pacchini, our new SVP of Alliances & Business Development, who I’d like to welcome to the team at the same time.

But beyond Joe’s “resume”, what is most important to me is that Joe brings complete conviction in the strategy & values that have turned Highfive into one of the most promising & fastest growing upstart in a category undergoing massive amounts of change. When you bring in a new leader, it’s critical to be aligned on values that shape the organization. As Joe has been on the board for the last 1.5 years, I can safely say that we have gotten to know each other pretty well and I am confident that the next phase of Highfive’s chapter is in excellent hands.

As far as I’m concerned, I’m not going anywhere. I will be continuing as Highfive’s Executive Chairman, which is a fancy way of saying that I remain an active part of the executive team, remain on the Board of Directors and will continue to work on several initiatives critical to our strategy, growth and long-term success. Above all, my priority is to support Joe and the team run fast and continue building on our momentum.

I’d like to take this moment to thank our investors who have continued to place their confidence in what we are doing. Most importantly, I’d like to thank the incredible team of people who have bet their careers on Highfive to build it into what it is today.

On to new heights.

Shan

Founder & Executive Chairman, Highfive

Shan Sinha

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