Global HR and payroll powerhouse Deel is entering its next growth phase with a heavyweight hire from Silicon Valley. The company today announced that Joe Kauffman, former Credit Karma CEO, President, and CFO, has joined as President and Chief Financial Officer—a move widely viewed as part of Deel’s preparation for a potential IPO.
The leadership transition also marks a new chapter for Philippe Bouaziz, Deel’s longtime CFO and co-founder, who will assume the newly created role of Executive Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer. Bouaziz will continue steering Deel’s long-term strategy after helping transform it from a scrappy startup into a $17.3 billion global platform.
From Startup to Global Payroll Powerhouse
Under Bouaziz’s financial leadership, Deel scaled to profitability across 37,000 clients in 150+ countries, crossed $1 billion in annual recurring revenue, and raised over $1 billion in funding. In an industry crowded with HR tech challengers like Rippling, Remote, and Papaya Global, Deel’s disciplined, data-driven growth—and sustained profitability—stand out.
“Watching Deel grow into what it is today has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” said Bouaziz. “Joe brings incredible experience and energy that will help shape Deel’s next milestones.”
A Proven Operator With IPO-Ready Experience
At Credit Karma, Kauffman helped scale the fintech’s revenue from $100 million to $2.3 billion and expanded margins to 37%, setting the stage for its eventual $7.1 billion acquisition by Intuit. His background—spanning public-company finance, strategic expansion, and product-led growth—positions him to guide Deel through the complexities of global scale and public-market readiness.
“It’s not just great payroll and HR tech—it’s a movement transforming how people work and get paid around the world,” Kauffman said. “Deel has the rare mix of velocity and discipline that defines category leaders.”
Strategic Reinforcement Across the C-Suite
Deel has been steadily strengthening its leadership ranks in anticipation of continued expansion. Over the past six months, it added Harish Sharma as Chief Risk Officer, Anthony Luis Rodriguez as Chief Compliance Officer, and DeAnn Work as General Counsel—moves that collectively reinforce its compliance, governance, and regulatory capabilities.
Setting the Stage for Global Scale
Deel’s CEO and co-founder Alex Bouaziz described Kauffman’s appointment as both validation and acceleration:
“Having someone of Joe’s caliber join Deel says everything about where we are today and where we’re going,” said Bouaziz. “His operational and financial expertise will help us advance our mission with discipline, impact, and global reach.”
A Signal to the HR Tech Market
Deel’s latest move positions it squarely among the HR tech elite—not just as a disruptor, but as a company preparing for sustained global influence. As peers like Rippling and Remote expand aggressively and traditional HCM giants like ADP and Workday push deeper into automation and compliance, Deel’s strategy is clear: own the global employment infrastructure layer.
With Kauffman’s arrival and a bolstered executive team, Deel’s next milestone may not be a funding round—it could be a public debut.
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Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure. Public relations, investor relations, public policy and marketing professionals rely on Business Wire for secure and accurate distribution of market-moving news and multimedia. Founded in 1961, Business Wire is a trusted source for news organizations, journalists, investment professionals and regulatory authorities, delivering news directly into editorial systems and leading online news sources via its multi-patented NX network. Business Wire’s global newsrooms are available to meet the needs of communications professionals and news media worldwide.
