Deel, the leading global payroll and HR platform, today announced the appointment of Joe Kauffman as President and Chief Financial Officer. Kauffman joins Deel following more than a decade of leadership at Credit Karma, where he served as CFO, President, and CEO.
As part of this transition, Philippe Bouaziz, who has served as Deel’s CFO since the company’s founding, will move into the newly established role of Executive Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer, continuing to guide Deel’s strategic growth and long-term vision.
Under Philippe Bouaziz’s financial leadership, Deel has grown from an early-stage startup to a trusted global platform serving over 37,000 businesses in 150+ countries. The company has been profitable for more than three years and recently surpassed $1 billion in annual recurring revenue. Deel has raised over $1 billion in funding from leading investors and now holds a valuation exceeding $17.3 billion.
“Watching Deel grow into what it is today has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” said Philippe Bouaziz, Executive Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer. “Joe brings incredible experience and energy that will help shape Deel’s next milestones.”
At Credit Karma, Kauffman led with the precision of a CFO and the instinct of a founder - driving international expansion and growing revenue from $100M+ to $2.3Bn while expanding operating margins to 37%.
Before that, he held CFO and corporate development roles at two NYSE-listed companies, where he developed deep expertise in managing disciplined, high-growth businesses within the public market framework. His experience and perspective will be pivotal as Deel continues to scale globally and strengthen its financial foundation.
“What Alex and Shuo have built is truly exceptional. It’s not just great payroll and HR technology — it’s a movement transforming how people work and get paid around the world,” said Joe Kauffman, President and Chief Financial Officer of Deel. “I was drawn to Deel because of its unique culture — a market leader obsessed with innovation and customer success, growing at an exceptional pace and yet, still operating with the speed and flexibility of a startup. You can feel the ambition and forward momentum in every conversation here. It’s an exciting time to join, and I’m looking forward to helping fuel the company’s next chapter of growth.”
In the past six months, Deel has expanded its executive leadership team with key appointments including Harish Sharma as Chief Risk Officer, Anthony Luis Rodriguez as Chief Compliance Officer, and DeAnn Work as General Counsel. These additions position Deel for continued innovation, compliance readiness, and growth as it prepares for future opportunities in the public markets.
“Having someone of Joe’s caliber join Deel says everything about where we are today and where we’re going,” said Alex Bouaziz, Co-Founder and CEO of Deel. “Joe brings a rare combination of deep leadership acumen, operational expertise, and a genuine passion for people – qualities that align perfectly with our culture and mission. His decision to join Deel is a strong validation of the company we’ve built and the leadership position we hold in the market. Joe’s depth of experience will help us continue to operate from a place of strength – advancing our mission with discipline, impact, and global reach.”
With a strengthened leadership team and a clear vision for the future, Deel remains focused on its mission: simplifying global work for everyone, everywhere.
About Deel
Deel is the all-in-one payroll and HR platform for global teams. Built for how the world works today, Deel brings HRIS, payroll, compliance, benefits, performance, and device management into one platform, supported by owned payroll infrastructure across 150+ countries. Businesses of all sizes use Deel to hire, pay, and manage every worker type – securely and at scale. Learn more at deel.com.
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