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Carl Mattsson
VP & GM EMEA at Kong who joined when the EMEA business was at ~$1–1.5M ARR and helped scale it toward $100M ARR, known for building sales playbooks, hiring for character, and shaping Kong's evolution into an AI-governance platform.
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Jan 14, 2026
• 54min
Stop Being Nice, Start Being Kind: The Cultural Shift That Built Kong
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Join Carl Mattsson, VP & GM EMEA at Kong, who played a pivotal role in scaling the company from $1M to nearly $100M ARR. He sheds light on hiring for character over experience, emphasizing innate curiosity and grit. Carl discusses the culture shift from a family vibe to a robust team focus and how a personal story about pasta solidified his commitment during tough times. He also shares insights on blending creativity with science in sales and positioning Kong as a leader in AI governance.
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