Founded in 1973, the FedEx corporation has become one of the world’s largest transportation companies. Delivering in more than 220 countries and holding a valuation of $90 billion, FedEx attributes its success to a simple philosophy of “People, Service, Profit.” These three words embody a cycle: Employees deliver on services that generate profits, and FedEx reinvests these profits into the workforce. Mike Lauderdale’s understanding of the company’s operations is invaluable. After 40 years at FedEx, he is currently serving as Vice President of Human Resources. In a conversation with Toptal Chi ..read more

Spanning more than 220 countries and territories, Booking.com provides millions of unforgettable journeys with its straightforward travel and accommodation services every year. A team of hybrid employees enables its customers’ adventures and has contributed to a thriving workplace. Booking.com was recognized for providing the Best Leadership Teams and Best Global Culture in 2023 by Comparably, a site for employees to rate companies. It was also included on Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies list for 2024 and was named one of Forbes’ World’s Best Employers in 2023.  As Chief People ..read more

Instacart is a same-day grocery delivery service that seeks to make grocery shopping accessible to everyone. Founded in 2012, Instacart experienced exponential growth during the COVID-19 pandemic and became a household name as the general public turned to the service amid lockdowns and social distancing measures. During the first two months of the pandemic, Instacart delivered more food than Walmart. Today, Instacart serves customers across the US and Canada, offering an extensive network of more than 1,200 retailers and spanning more than 80,000 locations. Instacart’s people-centric company ..read more

Gena Smith, Chief Human Resources Officer of LVMH North America, joined Michelle Labbe, Chief People Officer of Toptal, on the latest episode of The Talent Economy podcast.LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, is a renowned luxury goods conglomerate headquartered in Paris. The company’s diverse portfolio of brands includes household names such as Moët & Chandon, Hennessy, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Fendi, Givenchy, Dom Pérignon, and TAG Heuer. LVMH operates as an ecosystem where each brand maintains its unique DNA and heritage while benefiting from synergies within the group.Smith plays a ..read more

With past speakers such as the CEOs of Dell and Wikipedia, and the COO of Reddit, the Web Summit annual conference, founded in 2009, has become a critical meeting place for the tech community.  At this year’s event in Lisbon, Katie Bolger, Community Lead and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program Manager for Web Summit, joined Toptal’s Chief People Officer Michelle Labbe to discuss the 2022 conference, Web Summit’s Women in Tech program, and ensuring equity in representation among attendees and speakers. Some Questions Asked: What is Web Summit’s mission? How has your role in the eve ..read more

Jordan Fisher, founder and CEO of Standard AI, joined Michelle Labbe, Toptal’s Chief People Officer, at Collision in Toronto on The Talent Economy podcast. Fisher discussed the company’s groundbreaking “checkout-free” shopping solution and other achievements of Standard AI.  With a diverse background spanning computational fluid dynamics, securities regulations, video games, machine learning, and retail, Fisher has dedicated his career to product research and development. Standard AI has reached many significant milestones under his leadership as the field of artificial intelligence becom ..read more

Laura Heisman, VMware’s Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer , and Michelle Labbe, Toptal’s Chief People Officer, met at Collision 2023 in Toronto to discuss VMware’s core principles and the latest developments in AI and the tech industry. VMware is a leading software company that specializes in virtualization and cloud computing solutions. With a keen eye on innovation, VMware has established itself as a trusted partner for organizations worldwide. As one of its leading lights, Laura Heisman has played a pivotal role in shaping VMware’s marketing vision and driving impactful in ..read more

As the largest mutual life insurance company in the US, New York Life has been advising policyholders on investment decisions for more than 178 years. Toptal’s Chief People Officer Michelle Labbe spoke with Kathleen Navarro, New York Life Insurance’s Senior Vice President and Head of Human Resources Business Enablement on The Talent Economy Podcast. Kathleen Navarro leads New York Life Insurance’s integrated diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, and manages the HR business partners, strategy and analytics teams. During Navarro's tenure, the company has received broad recognition for its ..read more

With past speakers such as the CEOs of Dell and Wikipedia, and the COO of Reddit, the Web Summit annual conference, founded in 2009, has become a critical meeting place for the tech community.   At the 2022 event in Lisbon, Portugal, Katie Bolger, Community Manager, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Web Summit, joined Toptal’s Chief People Officer, Michelle Labbe. They discussed the conference, Web Summit’s Women in Tech program, and equity in representation among attendees and speakers. Some Questions Asked: What is Web Summit’s mission? How has your role in the event-planning field ..read more

Branch is a deep-linking and mobile-attribution platform that helps companies build and measure user journeys.  In 2014, Mada Seghete co-founded Branch on the fundamental principle that breaking down silos on the internet is critical to a brand’s ability to build engaging and relevant end-user experiences.  Branch initially focused on delivering a deep-linking solution to navigate the complex mobile ecosystem and get users to the right destination. Its platform now also powers mobile attribution for 50,000+ of the world’s most advanced apps, helping companies like Airbnb, Pinterest ..read more