My First Year: Four Stories of Growth, Purpose, and Community

One year can completely change your career trajectory. Today, we shine a light on four Coupanians who recently reached, or will be nearing, their one-year milestone within our EMEA Sales organization. They are sharing stories of customer impact, continuous learning, and the values that unite #AllOfUs. From the UK to France to Iberia, this quad reflects on their first year at Coupa and what makes our EMEA Sales team such an incredible place to grow.

Across our global teams, the "Coupa Village" is more than just a phrase. It is a daily practice of support and collaboration. For our sales professionals in EMEA, this culture provides the exact agility and mentorship needed to close complex enterprise deals and drive real business transformation.

Let’s meet Lucy, Cyril, Livia, and John to hear what their first year at Coupa has meant to them.

Lucy Day | Sales | UK
Key Takeaway: Embrace the Village

Lucy Day joined Coupa during the busiest time of the year in Q4 2025. Despite the fast pace, her colleagues made her feel incredibly welcome. That supportive spirit carried right into our FY26 Sales Kickoff. After nearly 20 years in enterprise software sales, Lucy found Coupa's SKO to be unmatched in energy and vision. Seeing customers speak passionately about their partnership with Coupa proved she had found a company that puts people at the center of everything.

Her favorite aspect of the job is driving customer success. She recently traveled on-site to host a workshop for an at-risk customer facing Accounts Payable challenges. By sitting in the room and working through their needs directly, she helped secure their renewal in July.

She credits much of her smooth transition to her onboarding buddy, Bharat Vegad, who offered constant support and great dad jokes. Lucy's biggest advice for new hires is to lean on the Coupa Village. The talent across Value Advisory, Product, and Marketing is vast, and everyone is willing to help you succeed.

Finally, Lucy shared that Leagh Turner is the first female CEO she has worked under in her 23-year career, an experience she finds deeply inspiring. She appreciates that Leagh’s leadership style emphasizes taking the time to thank colleagues openly. For Lucy, gestures like work anniversary notes are vital examples of leadership that set those who inspire apart from everyday managers, serving as a reminder of the culture Leagh cultivated at the company.

Cyril de Barbarin | Sales | France 
Key Takeaway: Never stop learning and stay adaptable

For Cyril de Barbarin, the exact moment he knew he made the right choice was meeting the entire Supply Chain Optimization (SCO) Sales team in Ann Arbor. It was inspiring to see a dedicated group focused entirely on maintaining Coupa's position as the top supply chain solution in the market.

That focus translated into massive customer impact this year. Cyril helped secure a large pasta manufacturer account, a major win where the customer placed their complete trust in Coupa's AI capabilities as a key competitive advantage.

He attributes his success to his manager, Nick, who built a genuine "One-Team" spirit. Nick created an environment that feels safe yet challenging, which allows the team to perform at their absolute best.

Reflecting on his first 365 days, Cyril advises new hires to stay curious and highly adaptable. He also appreciates the personal note he received from leadership for his anniversary. It highlights the unique culture we have built and shows that individual contributions are truly recognized here.

Livia Theophilo | Sales | Iberia
Key Takeaway: Move fast and stay close to your customers

Livia Theophilo (pictured second from left) joined Coupa because she wanted to sell a product she genuinely believed in. The speed at which Coupa's technology is evolving with AI made her excited to represent the platform. What surprised her most was how much she would enjoy the people and the agile way the team works together.

During her first year, she helped build the Iberia team from the ground up alongside her Country Leader, João Batista. They worked closely with Marketing to build awareness and establish a strong partner ecosystem. This hard work culminated in winning a highly demanding customer already using a competitor's solution. Earning their trust required a deep understanding of their needs and close collaboration across the entire company.

Livia was fortunate to have Antoine as her mentor. Even though he was based in France, he was always available and positive. His support helped her confidently lead complex customer meetings in Spanish very early in her tenure.

Her biggest lesson this year is the power of agility. Despite being a large organization, Coupa operates with incredible speed and collaboration. Receiving an anniversary note from senior leadership reinforced this for Livia. It reminded her that her contributions matter and that leaders are genuinely interested in the success of our regional teams. She shares more of her thoughts on year one at Coupa below.

John Bryceland | Sales | Middle East
Key Takeaway: Build your network fast and keep it interactive

John Bryceland (pictured third left) emphasizes the importance of building a network quickly and keeping it interactive, noting that you have to "give value to get value." He highlighted his experience at the Sales Bootcamp in Dublin as a turning point, where gaining a deep understanding of the value proposition was key, but meeting the incredible EMEA team was what truly solidified it.

He also celebrated a major win at a major bank customer in Qatar, proving the value of the Coupa platform against competitors. He credits Varun Saigal from Value Advisory for going above and beyond with strategic support on complex deals.

Finally, John stressed that clear communication from leadership is vital, as it reinforces overall purpose and keeps the team aligned.

What One Year in EMEA Sales Really Means

Across these four stories, a clear theme emerges. Impact happens in EMEA Sales because our people feel empowered, supported, and deeply connected to their customers. Whether it is solving supply chain challenges, building a regional team from scratch, or securing major renewals, their first year represents what is possible when we Shape What’s Next together.

If you are ready to join our EMEA team, check out Coupa Careers and join our Talent Community.