Ironclad Hires Leyla Seka as COO, Helen Wang as CFO

Ironclad Announces Key Executive Appointments

Ironclad, a company specializing in digital contract management solutions for legal departments, has revealed the addition of two new leaders to its executive team.

The company is welcoming Leyla Seka as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO). Seka previously served as a partner with Operator Collective. Before that, she dedicated over ten years to Salesforce, playing a key role in the launch of the Salesforce AppExchange.

New CFO Also Appointed

In addition to Seka’s appointment, Ironclad has also named Helen Wang as its inaugural Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Wang brings seven years of experience from eBay, where she most recently held the position of CFO for Global Payments.

Seka, who also founded the Black Venture Institute and serves on the Girls Who Code board, shared that her prior work involved collaboration with Ironclad as an investor.

She had maintained a relationship with Ironclad CEO and co-founder Jason Boehmig for several years. A recent search for a COO led to a candidate who was hesitant, prompting Seka to jokingly suggest her own candidacy.

“I expressed to Jason my surprise that anyone would hesitate to join a promising venture. As I spoke, I realized I should be the one to help build this success,” she explained.

Boehmig quickly embraced the idea, initiating discussions to explore the feasibility of Seka’s involvement. Seka recognized a compelling opportunity within Ironclad, a software firm established seven years ago.

The company has secured $184 million in funding, currently employs 300 individuals, and serves a customer base of 1,000. Importantly, she observed an energetic atmosphere reminiscent of Salesforce’s early stages.

Furthermore, Seka admitted to missing the operational aspects of business building during her time as a venture capitalist. “I discovered I longed for the collaborative environment and shared pursuit of ambitious goals,” she stated.

After several months of discussion, Boehmig presented Seka with the COO offer within a copy of the Grateful Dead’s Live Europe ’72 album, reflecting his passion for vinyl records.

Wang’s recruitment followed a more traditional search process, seeking an experienced CFO. She was identified as the most qualified candidate. Boehmig noted the contrasting recruitment paths.

“Unlike the organic emergence of Leyla’s role, we actively searched for a CFO, and Helen clearly stood out,” he said.

Wang emphasizes a strategic approach to her role. “My responsibilities include reporting revenue and costs, but fundamentally, I aim to empower operating partners with data-driven insights for swift, impactful decisions,” she explained.

She views the profit and loss statement as a guiding tool for optimizing choices that benefit the company, its customers, and stakeholders.

Boehmig acknowledges the underrepresentation of female executives in Silicon Valley, viewing it as an opportunity to attract top talent to Ironclad. “My priority is to recruit the best individuals, and both Helen and Leyla exemplify excellence,” he affirmed.

Wang has already begun her duties, while Seka, who will continue as Chair of the Board of Advisors at Operator Collective, is transitioning into her role in the coming weeks.