From her early career to her position as CEO of Oracle Technology Company (based in the US), Safra Catz's journey is a testament to her relentless efforts and business acumen.
Safra Catz was born in Holon, Israel, and grew up in a Jewish family. Catz moved to Massachusetts, USA, at the age of 6 and graduated from Brookline High School. She studied Economics at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, then went on to earn a Juris Doctorate. During this time, she demonstrated her leadership skills and was active in student organizations.
In the early 1990s, Catz went to work on Wall Street as an investment banker, a decision that changed her life. In a 2005 interview, Catz revealed: "The best decision I ever made was going to Wall Street instead of going into law. I learned a lot and focused on expanding the software industry at a time when it was just starting out. That eventually led me to Oracle."
Catz began her career at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, where she served as CEO and Senior Vice President of Investment Banking. She joined Oracle in 1999 and held a number of positions. She became CEO of Oracle in 2014 and has been a member of the company's board of directors since 2001.
You can learn from doing something stupid, but you can never regain the reputation of being a liar. Honesty is an asset that is easily lost, and once lost, you can never get it back.”
Safra Catz
She successfully led the company's acquisition of rival software company PeopleSoft in 2005, a deal worth $10.3 billion. Under Catz's leadership, Oracle expanded its product offerings and solidified its global leadership in cloud computing, database systems, and enterprise software solutions.
She helped drive the company's transition to a cloud-centric business model, positioning Oracle as a key player in the competitive technology landscape.
Catz's colleagues found her to be almost completely devoid of ego. Her strength lay in her fierce determination, her straightforward advice, and her relentless dedication. Catz's leadership lesson was the importance of building strong teams where respect and collaboration prevailed.
It's about understanding each team's goals and working together to achieve them. Catz also emphasizes the importance of finding finance professionals who can collaborate and collaborate effectively.
Oracle fosters a culture of problem-solving, encouraging team members to approach their roles with the same mindset. This also aligns with Catz's leadership style, which is always considering what is best for Oracle.
In an interview with Time, Catz said that the most significant barrier to women in leadership is the lack of women in the role.
“The best advice I can give women is to go out and start something, ideally a business,” she says. “If you can’t see a path to leadership within a company, follow your own path.”
For Catz, her biggest inspiration is her mother, whom she considers the bravest person in the world. "She overcame so many difficulties, working and raising two children at the same time, and made it incredibly simple. Even in her final days fighting cancer, she fought like a champion," Catz shared.
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