Brian Stafford

Brian Stafford is the chief executive officer of Diligent Corporation, a leading governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) SaaS provider. Since assuming the CEO role, Stafford has overseen significant growth, scaling Diligent’s revenue from under $100 million to over $600 million and expanding its global footprint to serve more than 25,000 organizations, including a substantial share of the FTSE 100 and Fortune 1000. Under his leadership, Diligent launched solutions such as Governance Cloud, establishing its position in board management and enterprise governance technology.

Stafford began his career as founder and CEO of CarOrder, an early online automotive venture, before joining McKinsey & Company, where he established and led the Growth Stage Tech Practice, advising SaaS companies on scaling and strategy. He is also a co-founder of Blue Collective, an investment firm, and serves on the board of the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Stafford’s expertise in digital transformation and governance has made him a speaker at industry events, including the Milken Institute Global Conference and RSA Conference.

Stafford co-authored the book "Governance in the Digital Age: A Guide for the Modern Corporate Board Director," which examines the evolving landscape of corporate governance in a technology-driven world. His leadership has earned him recognition such as Executive of the Year by the Stevie Awards and repeated inclusion among the 100 most influential leaders in corporate governance by the National Association of Corporate Directors. Stafford is known for his public speaking and authority on modern governance, digital transformation, and SaaS industry leadership.