Key Takeaways
- • Bessemer Venture Partners appointed Todd Carlisle as chief people officer, bringing more than two decades of human resources expertise to the 150+ person investment firm.
- • Carlisle will lead all people-related functions including performance management, career progression, compensation, learning and development, and employee relations across Bessemer's expanding geographic footprint.
- • Prior to joining Bessemer, Carlisle spent 11 years at Google in people-related roles, including as a pioneer in people analytics, and also served as chief people officer at Tempo, a connected fitness startup.
- • Sandy Grippo, partner and chief operating officer at Bessemer, highlighted Carlisle's combination of organizational psychology expertise and practical experience as critical to supporting the firm's growth and talent development priorities.
- • The hire reflects Bessemer's strategic focus on maintaining core values and operating principles centered on the apprenticeship model—mentorship and learning—as the firm expands into new geographies.
Summary
Bessemer Venture Partners has appointed Todd Carlisle as chief people officer, a newly created senior role designed to support the firm's expansion and talent management initiatives. Carlisle brings over two decades of experience in human resources and organizational development, with significant tenure at Google, where he spent 11 years working on people-related functions, including pioneering work in people analytics. Most recently, he served as chief people officer at Tempo, a San Francisco-based connected fitness startup.
In his new position, Carlisle will oversee a small team of HR professionals and manage all personnel-related functions at Bessemer, including performance management, career progression, compensation structures, learning and development programs, and employee relations. His appointment comes as Bessemer continues to expand geographically while maintaining commitment to the venture capital apprenticeship model that has historically emphasized mentorship and learning for both portfolio company founders and internal investment professionals.
Sandy Grippo, partner and chief operating officer at Bessemer, noted that Carlisle's appointment reflects the firm's strategic priorities as it scales. "As our firm grows, Todd brings his unique blend of scholarly expertise in organizational psychology and practical experience, coupled with genuine empathy and dedication to achieving excellence when building new programs and fostering cohesive teams," Grippo stated. Carlisle echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that people remain foundational to organizational success: "While it often feels like technology runs the world, people are still the foundation to any organization—people determine how we live and work by our values and the innovation we back and build."
The hire is part of broader leadership developments at Bessemer, which has also promoted Sofia Guerra to partner and Alex Yuditski to vice president, indicating sustained organizational expansion and talent advancement within the firm.
In his new position, Carlisle will oversee a small team of HR professionals and manage all personnel-related functions at Bessemer, including performance management, career progression, compensation structures, learning and development programs, and employee relations. His appointment comes as Bessemer continues to expand geographically while maintaining commitment to the venture capital apprenticeship model that has historically emphasized mentorship and learning for both portfolio company founders and internal investment professionals.
Sandy Grippo, partner and chief operating officer at Bessemer, noted that Carlisle's appointment reflects the firm's strategic priorities as it scales. "As our firm grows, Todd brings his unique blend of scholarly expertise in organizational psychology and practical experience, coupled with genuine empathy and dedication to achieving excellence when building new programs and fostering cohesive teams," Grippo stated. Carlisle echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that people remain foundational to organizational success: "While it often feels like technology runs the world, people are still the foundation to any organization—people determine how we live and work by our values and the innovation we back and build."
The hire is part of broader leadership developments at Bessemer, which has also promoted Sofia Guerra to partner and Alex Yuditski to vice president, indicating sustained organizational expansion and talent advancement within the firm.
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