Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal

In a special episode of Behind the Deal live from Thoma Bravo’s Annual Meeting in March 2024, Managing Partner Seth Boro welcomes Sumit Dhawan, CEO at Proofpoint, Mike Capone, CEO at Qlik, and Charlie Gottdiener, CEO at Anaplan, to the stage to discuss how their companies are leveraging the power of artificial intelligence. The CEOs share perspectives on generative AI and its impact on cybersecurity, what AI means for the future of IP and how businesses can channel AI into actionable solutions for their customers. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Learn more about Proofpoint: https://www.proofpoint.com/us Learn more about Qlik: https://www.qlik.com/us Learn more about Anaplan: https://www.anaplan.com/

In this special Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo Co-Founders and Managing Partners Carl Thoma and Orlando Bravo go beyond their long, storied and industry-shaping partnership to discuss the importance of fostering relationships, focusing on performance and staying humble while building a successful firm. Carl also shares his insights on the value of finding the right mentor and discusses one of the proudest moments of his life. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/

On the season finale of Behind the Deal, Co-Founders and Managing Partners Orlando Bravo and Carl Thoma sit down to discuss how they built Thoma Bravo into the world’s largest tech-focused buyout firm. Orlando interviews his mentor, Carl, to get his perspective on the evolution of private equity over his nearly 50-year career in the industry. The Co-Founders discuss their partnership and relive the moments, strategies, successes (and a few failures) that made their firm and their relationship one of the best deals both have ever done. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/

In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo Managing Partner Seth Boro sits down with SailPoint’s CEO and Founder Mark McClain and President of Worldwide Field Operations Matt Mills to talk about the effects of AI on identity security, being acquired by Thoma Bravo not once but twice, and what it was like to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit SailPoint’s website: https://www.sailpoint.com/

SailPoint Co-Founder and CEO Mark McClain speaks with Thoma Bravo Managing Partner Seth Boro about forging a relationship that led to Thoma Bravo’s first ever IPO of a portfolio company, and then a second acquisition of SailPoint just a few years later. The conversation covers the cutting edge work SailPoint is doing in identity security, as well as the inside experience of partnering with a Private Equity firm. Behind the Deal is rereleasing this favorite from the archives alongside a brand new episode of Beyond the Deal next week with Mark, Seth, and SailPoint’s President of Worldwide Field Operations Matt Mills. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit SailPoint’s website: https://www.sailpoint.com/

In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo Partner Brian Jaffee sits down with Bottomline CEO Craig Saks to talk about resiliency, the importance of bringing diverse voices into the room, and the surprising things you learn as a South African running an American company (besides just which side of the road to drive on). For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit Bottomline’s website: https://www.bottomline.com/us

Thoma Bravo Partner Brian Jaffee takes listeners inside the years of waiting and watching that eventually turned into a quick make-or-break opportunity to acquire Bottomline. With thirty years of history, a management shakeup, activist investors and plenty of competition, the Bottomline take-private wasn’t easy but it was worth the work. Brian is joined by Bottomline CEO Craig Saks who talks about his unique experience transitioning to CEO, the importance of optimizing cash flow, where the fintech world is headed, and how eliminating paper checks can lead to higher GDP. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit Bottomline’s website: https://www.bottomline.com/us

In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo Partner Carl Press sits down with Foundation Software President and CEO Mike Ode to talk about mentorship, the importance of asking questions, and how some of the best deals get done at times when you least expect it. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit Foundation Software's website: https://www.foundationsoft.com/

Thoma Bravo Partner Carl Press takes listeners behind the deal with Foundation Software, a leader in the world of construction subcontracting software. Family-owned and operated for over thirty years, Foundation decided to partner with Thoma Bravo in 2020 after many offers from investor groups, becoming the firm’s first fully remote deal. Carl is joined by Foundation Software President and CEO Mike Ode to talk about partnering with private equity, the construction industry’s digital transformation and what that means for the future of the business. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit Foundation's website: https://www.foundationsoft.com/

In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo partner Adam Solomon sits down with Raptor CEO Gray Hall to talk about the most rewarding parts of being a CEO, how to craft a leadership style employees (and customers) will want to follow, and the personal side of running a business that keeps kids safe at school. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit Raptor’s website: https://raptortech.com/

Thoma Bravo Partner Adam Solomon walks listeners through the challenges of landing a transatlantic deal with Raptor Technologies, a cutting-edge school safety software company, at a time when schools were shut down all over the world due to COVID. Adam is joined by Raptor CEO Gray Hall, and together they discuss the importance of alignment on company culture, organic vs. inorganic growth, and the power of supercharging results with a mission-driven approach. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit Raptor's website: https://raptortech.com/

In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Nasdaq Chair and CEO Adena Friedman and Thoma Bravo Managing Partner and Nasdaq Board Member Holden Spaht discuss Adena’s thirty-year career at Nasdaq, how changing jobs can develop your management style, and how you can literally look for luck in the world around you. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit Nasdaq’s website: https://www.nasdaq.com/

Thoma Bravo Managing Partner Holden Spaht and Nasdaq's Chair and CEO Adena Friedman take listeners behind Nasdaq’s multi-billion dollar acquisition of Adenza, a provider of mission-critical risk management and regulatory software to the financial services industry. Holden shares Thoma Bravo's approach to building Adenza by merging and integrating two market leaders, Calypso Technology and AxiomSL, at the height of the pandemic.  Holden and Adena also discuss how the acquisition of Adenza is positioned to accelerate Nasdaq's transformation and strategic vision to become the trusted fabric of the world’s financial system. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit Nasdaq's website: https://www.nasdaq.com/

In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo Partner Chip Virnig and former CEO of Dynatrace John Van Siclen talk about some of the more rewarding challenges they’ve faced, the long steady process of learning patience, the excitement that comes with an IPO, and how to know when it’s time to step away. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit Dynatrace’s website: https://www.dynatrace.com/

Thoma Bravo Partner Chip Virnig goes behind the deal with Dynatrace: how it started, the complexities of the transaction, and the areas of value creation the Thoma Bravo team focused on throughout the partnership. From the initial carve-out to an IPO that saw Thoma Bravo’s team ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange, the Dynatrace deal was never easy. Joining Chip in the studio, former Dynatrace CEO John Van Siclen gives his perspective on the growth in enterprise software as a 40-year industry veteran. Dynatrace first stood out as a leader in SaaS when the Thoma Bravo team realized the massive potential of cloud infrastructure, and successfully predicted an industry-wide disruptive shift in that direction. The acquisition became a fascinating case study, borrowing multiple strategies from the Thoma Bravo playbook - such as operational improvements on day one, backing existing management, and transforming the business to a SaaS-based model -  and deploying them all on the same deal. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit Dynatrace's website: https://www.dynatrace.com/

In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo Partner Ross Devor and Alma founder and CEO Dr. Harry Ritter discuss the glaring need for quality, affordable mental healthcare, learning to enjoy the journey while building a business, and the pros and cons of being a “renaissance man.” For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit Alma’s website: https://www.helloalma.com/

Ross Devor, a partner at Thoma Bravo and co-head of the firm's Growth platform, discusses collaborating with Alma's management team to improve their technology roadmap and connect their platform with therapists across all fifty states. Despite a market meltdown, Thoma Bravo saw an exciting opportunity to be a part of behavioral health care’s digital transformation and to guide Alma on crossing the path to profitability. Alma is a platform that improves access to quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. In this episode, Ross sits down with Alma CEO Dr. Harry Ritter to discuss the importance of a robust management structure, a focus on responsible growth, and having values that align with your business partners. The two also discuss their own mental health journeys, and how investing in people’s mental wellbeing — and your own — might now be more important than ever. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit Alma's website: https://www.helloalma.com/

In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo Managing Partner Seth Boro and Flexera President and CEO Jim Ryan discuss stepping into the big role as chief executive, share memories from one of their beloved mentors, and deliberate about what they would’ve done if technology wasn’t their calling. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit Flexera's website: https://www.flexera.com/

Thoma Bravo Managing Partner Seth Boro gives an inside look at how the firm can hit the ground running after a platform carve-out investment. Thoma Bravo helped build out Flexera back in 2008, exited in 2011, and is now back for more with a controlling stake as of 2020.  Flexera is a company that provides customers with the ability to map their IT spend to better optimize their IT estate. In this episode, Thoma Bravo Managing Partner Seth Boro sits down with Flexera CEO Jim Ryan to talk through the initial carveout, surviving the Great Recession of 2008, and where Flexera goes from here. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit Flexera's website: https://www.flexera.com/

In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo Partner Mike Hoffmann and ConnectWise CEO Jason Magee sit down, and go beyond their business partnership. They chat about their top business role models, their first jobs, and what they’re reading. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit ConnectWise's website: https://www.connectwise.com/