Building Tomorrow Together: A Year in Review for Talent Acquisition at Coupa
Talent isn’t something we simply acquire but it’s more about the humanity of each current and future Coupanian to help people grow, feel supported and recognized for their efforts. Over the past year, our Talent Acquisition team has stayed focused on one core belief: when people come first, innovation, impact, and growth follow.
This year was shaped by transparency, storytelling, and a renewed commitment to building a hiring experience that reflects who we truly are. Here’s a look at the moments that mattered most and how they helped us shape what’s next.
Humanizing the Hiring Experience
One of our biggest priorities this year was pulling back the curtain on the real Coupa hiring journey.
Through our Shaping What’s Next series,
we shared authentic, behind-the-scenes perspectives—from first outreach to first day on the job. Rather than focusing on the process alone, we focused on people.
We highlighted:
- New Coupanians taking their leap
- Recruiters building genuine relationships
- Hiring managers seeking curiosity, impact, and values alignment
By showing how Coupa’s Core Values come to life at every stage, we strengthened trust with candidates and reinforced transparency as a true differentiator.
Talent Brand Shaped by Real People
Our talent brand -- Help Shape What’s Next – came alive through the voices of the Coupa Village.
This year, we amplified employee stories across regions, roles, and career stages, from campus hires to senior leaders. Through people spotlights
and regional storytelling, we showcased what growth, belonging, and purpose look like in practice.
These highlighted real career journeys. And that authenticity resonated deeply with both employees and future talent.
Innovation, Told Through the People Building It
Innovation is core to Coupa, and this year, we made a deliberate shift to tell innovation stories through the people behind the work.
From engineering breakthroughs to platform evolution, we spotlighted the builders and problem-solvers shaping what’s next. Stories like Stella Lee’s journey
highlighted not just technical excellence, but collaboration, leadership growth, and trust.
This was reinforced through Salvatore Lombardo’s Architecting What’s Next with AI perspective, which framed AI not as a replacement for people, but as a powerful force that amplifies human capability. His vision underscored how Coupa is responsibly architecting agentic AI, grounded in real customer needs, trusted data, and human judgment.
Together, these stories sent a clear message: at Coupa, innovation thrives when people are empowered to think boldly and build responsibly.
Responsible AI in Hiring
As AI continues to shape the future of work, Coupa took a clear stance: AI supports hiring and it doesn’t replace the human connection.
This year, TA leader Chris Bartolo shared how we responsibly use AI to enhance efficiency, fairness, and experience, freeing recruiters to focus on relationships, storytelling, and decision-making. Transparency around how AI is used helped build trust and reinforced our commitment to ethical, human-centered hiring.
Investing in Emerging Talent
The future of Coupa is being built by the next generation of talent and this year, we made that visible.
From India campus hires to early-career storytelling tailored for Gen Z, we focused on clarity, learning, and growth. By simplifying expectations and highlighting real career paths, we helped early talent see themselves thriving at Coupa from day one.
Culture in Action
Culture isn’t what we say but it’s in our DNA.
Throughout the year, we amplified moments that reflected Coupa’s Core Values in action, especially Global Impact Week with 500+ employees volunteering more than 1,700 hours by supporting 28 local-led events and 3 virtual events across 18 countries and 6 continents. We truly could not have made such a positive impact on our communities without each and every Coupanian! Stories like this reinforced that belonging at Coupa is a lived experience, grounded in empathy, purpose, and shared impact.
Looking Ahead
As we move forward, our focus remains clear and we’ll keep:
- Hiring human
- Telling real stories
- Building pathways for growth
- Innovating with purpose
Every interaction, story, and hire strengthens our ability to innovate and scale. If this year showed us anything, it’s that the future of work is built by people, and here at Coupa, we’re proud of the people building it.
Ready to Shape What’s Next?
Explore opportunities at Coupa Careers
Join our Talent Community
And help build tomorrow—together.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month , we’re recognizing the women who help shape Coupa every day, not only through leadership roles, but through mentorship, advocacy, collaboration, and the many contributions that often happen behind the scenes. In this special episode of Shaping What’s Next at Coupa , guest host Kiri Christensen , representing Coupa’s Empower Employee Resource Group , sits down with Cindy Yi, Senior Vice President of Global HR Business Partners , to explore the theme of this year’s celebration: Leading the Change. Their conversation goes beyond titles and career paths to talk about the people and moments that shape leadership. Cindy reflects on the leaders who influenced her journey and shares a perspective that resonates across organizations: when people feel supported, challenged, and connected, businesses perform better. The episode also shines a light on the idea of “Unsung Heroines,” the mentors, problem-solvers, and team builders whose impact may not always be visible but is foundational to a strong culture. As Cindy explains, recognizing those contributions matters because it expands how we define leadership and impact. “Leadership doesn’t always come from titles or visibility. When we celebrate mentorship, collaboration, and quiet leadership, we reinforce the behaviors that make organizations great.” The conversation also explores the importance of thoughtful courage, the willingness to ask important questions and contribute perspectives that move conversations forward, regardless of title or tenure. And at the heart of it all is a simple but powerful truth: when people feel their voices and contributions matter, they’re empowered to do their best work. That’s what helps organizations grow, innovate, and shape what’s next. Watch Episode 6: Women’s History Month: Unsung Heroines.
Meaningful progress is driven by people who take ownership, collaborate deeply, and consistently raise the bar for what’s possible. Each month, Coupa’s India Leadership Team recognizes individuals who exemplify our values through the Standout Performer Award . This recognition celebrates Coupanians whose contributions make a tangible impact on our teams, our customers, and the business while living our values to Drive Success for #AllOfUs, Own Our Results, Cultivate Belonging, and Build Tomorrow Together. We’re proud to spotlight our December 2025 India Standout Performer Award winners, whose work reflects the heart of Coupa’s culture: proactive, innovative, and people-centered. Meet the winners:
At Coupa, we believe that progress happens because of people who go beyond what’s expected to drive impact, support others, and help shape what’s next. That’s why recognition is such an important part of our culture. As part of our continued commitment to celebrating standout contributions across the business, Coupa’s India Leadership Team recognizes employees each quarter through the Extra Mile Award . This award honors individuals who exemplify our values: Drive Success for #AllOfUs, Own Our Results, Cultivate Belonging, and Build Tomorrow Together through meaningful, real-world impact. We’re proud to spotlight our Q4 2025 India Extra Mile Award winners , whose dedication and leadership continue to raise the bar for excellence at Coupa. Meet the winners:
Leading Change Through Everyday Impact As we kick off Women’s History Month , our Coupa Empower employee resource group is honoring the women whose leadership, influence, and care move our teams, culture, and communities forward — often in ways that aren’t always visible. This year’s theme, Leading the Change , recognizes the builders, mentors, problem-solvers and quiet leaders whose impact shapes how we grow and work together. The Unsung Heroines program highlights employees whose journeys, advocacy, and influence create lasting progress — not just for Coupa, but for the people around them. These are the stories that remind us that recognition isn’t a single moment. It's something we build into our culture every day.
As we welcome the Year of the Fire Horse, our global village comes together to celebrate Lunar New Year — a moment for renewal, reflection, and bold forward momentum for #AllOfUs. This year’s celebration is led by our Coupa Exceed Employee Resource Group, whose leadership continues to create space for cultural connection, shared learning, and deeper belonging across our communities. Through its programming and storytelling, Exceed ERG helps turn moments like this into meaningful global experiences for all Coupanians. In the lunar zodiac, the Horse symbolizes energy, progress, and determination. The Fire element brings passion, visibility, and transformation. That spirit comes to life in how Exceed leads this celebration: Moving with purpose Amplifying voices and traditions Bringing our global community closer together From red envelopes and reunion dinners to travel, lanterns, and time with loved ones, Lunar New Year reminds us that while our backgrounds may be different, the values that connect us are shared.
Engineers at Coupa are shaping what’s next, through code, curiosity, impact, and a shared commitment to building better systems for people and businesses. In celebration of Engineers Week 2026, we asked a few of our engineers how they’re transforming the future: their own, Coupa’s, and the communities we serve. Their answers reflect a profession grounded in purpose, growth, and possibility.
As we continue our Black History Month celebration, Coupa’s Engage employee resource group is proud to spotlight more voices whose journeys reflect the lasting impact of Black innovation in technology. Building on our first feature, this blog highlights Coupanians whose paths into tech weren’t always linear but whose perspectives are shaping how technology, people, and possibility intersect at Coupa. Through the stories of Elise Huggins, Rashida Jones, and Johnny White, we’re reminded that innovation is strongest when it’s grounded in imagination, inclusion, and human purpose.
As Coupa celebrates 20 years of innovation, growth, and impact, it’s the people who’ve grown alongside the company who best reflect what that journey really looks like. For Sukhada Bardapurkar, Partner Success Manager, the last 10 years at Coupa have been shaped by curiosity, connection, and a deep sense of ownership in the results she helps deliver. “At every stage of my career here, I’ve genuinely cared about the impact of my work and how it enables both me and the team to move forward,” Sukhada shares. “Owning results motivates me and it pushes me to stay curious and solve problems proactively.”
At Coupa, we believe great work deserves to be recognized, not just for outcomes but for the commitment, ownership, and impact it brings. From weekly wins to milestone achievements, celebrating excellence is part of how we show up for one another. As part of our evolving rewards and recognition program, the Coupa India Leadership Team introduced the Standout Performer Award (Monthly) and Extra Mile Award (Quarterly) to spotlight Coupanians whose contributions drive individual, team, and business success. We’re proud to recognize our Stan dout Performer Award winner for November 2025 and invite you to join us in celebrating his achievement.
As we celebrate Black History Month, Coupa’s Engage employee resource group honors the resilience, creativity, and leadership of Black pioneers whose innovation has shaped technology and artificial intelligence. This year’s theme, “ Innovation and the Impact of Black Pioneers in Tech and AI ,” recognizes trailblazers who challenged barriers, introduced new ways of thinking, and built pathways for future generations. Through the voices of Coupanians across our organization, we celebrate how those legacies continue to inspire us to innovate with purpose, push boundaries, and help shape what’s next at Coupa.