Strengthening our executive bench: An interview with our new Chief Legal Officer, Jung-Kyu McCann

4 mins, 45 secs read time

At a people-first company like Greenhouse, we’re passionate about hiring great people who’ll help grow our business and our culture. People who are thoughtful and considered – characteristics that are especially important when it comes to providing strategic advice that benefits all our stakeholders. That’s why I’m delighted to interview Jung-Kyu McCann, our new Chief Legal Officer.

I spoke to Jung about her passion for learning, her interest in attracting and developing diverse teams and her experience helping companies grow.

Greenhouse: Why Greenhouse? What made you think: “I want to be a part of this company”?

Jung: When I was going through the interview process, I spoke to a lot of people on the team. In every conversation that I had, I could feel each person’s commitment to the Greenhouse mission. Everyone thought they had a role to play in helping the company achieve this mission. That level of commitment leads to accountability – a true desire not to let each other down. It provides an opportunity for everyone to do their best, most meaningful work.

Greenhouse: Can you talk a little bit about your journey to Greenhouse and how your previous professional experience prepared you for this role?

Jung: I started my legal career at a New York law firm and spent more than 15 years there counseling companies of all sizes on a variety of corporate matters and in various stages of business growth, including IPOs and acquisitions in New York and Silicon Valley.

Working with global clients of all sizes and encountering many different issues and crises early in my career showed me that there is a solution to every problem. I have taken that lesson with me in everything I do.

In my roles at Broadcom and Apple, I learned about best practices at large public companies for managing the board of directors and corporate governance, shareholder engagement, SEC reporting, M&A and more. In my most recent position as Chief Legal Officer at Druva, I led the legal team and scaled it to support a rapidly growing business, helping to prepare a private company to thrive as a public one.

Through all these experiences, I’ve gained skills, expertise and insights that have prepared me for joining an ambitious, fast-growing, change-the-world company like Greenhouse.

Greenhouse: What are you most looking forward to doing/working on when you join?

Jung: Any new role requires new knowledge, new ways of thinking and new relationships. I am looking forward to learning more about Greenhouse and its people and learning from my new colleagues. The company has an incredibly talented team that spent 10 years creating a purpose-driven organization that builds innovative products in a rapidly evolving market. As an engineering-led company that is solving complicated and important problems applicable to almost every company in the world, Greenhouse offers the most compelling opportunity for me.

I can’t wait to get stuck in and solve some of these complicated challenges, working with a team that acts with courage, focus and integrity.

Greenhouse: How does our mission to unlock human potential at work by making every company great at hiring align with your own mission/ambitions?

Jung: Some of my proudest career accomplishments relate to helping talented people develop professionally and then seeing them succeed in more advanced roles.

I've always tried to hire candidates that have the potential to do more than the job description because it results in natural career growth, motivation and success.

If we focus more on potential rather than past success at overly specific tasks, then a more diverse slate of candidates will have opportunities to unlock their human potential at work – and all will benefit.

Greenhouse: What excites you most about the future of Greenhouse?

Jung: A more diverse workforce isn’t only good for people – it leads to better financial performance. Investors know this and often prioritize investments in companies that put their people first and care about diversity, leadership and employee development.

In recent years, the SEC, Nasdaq and other regulators have enacted rules to hold companies accountable with respect to how they attract, develop and retain a diverse workforce. The biggest asset managers globally, including BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street and T Rowe Price, all believe that attracting, developing and retaining top talent is a competitive advantage that leads to better financial performance.

As companies continue to hear this message from their largest investors, I expect more and more companies will turn to Greenhouse as the best tool to help them find and hire the best candidates for each role.

Greenhouse: Outside of work, what are your interests or passions?

Jung: I’ve finally found time to return to some of my childhood passions. After 30 years of neglecting my violin, I recently joined the second violin section of a no-audition orchestra. It took some time for my fingers to keep up, but it is amazing to be part of an ensemble that creates beautiful music. My first concert is coming up, so wish me luck!

I have also started to play tennis again (starting with doubles since I cannot cover the court like I used to) and I’m jumping on board the latest pickleball craze.

I am an ARMY (meaning a BTS fan) and huge K-drama fan. I started watching K-dramas during the pandemic so that I had something to discuss with my K-drama-obsessed teenage daughter, but now I am more obsessed than she is!

At Greenhouse, we believe that the potential for people to do something amazing has everything to do with being in the right role, on the right team, at the right time. Learn more about Greenhouse's mission and values here.

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