Jessica Ross - CFO - READ ME

Jessica Ross - READ ME

Why I’m at GitLab

I’m drawn to places where values, purpose, and performance come together. Places where the work matters, the people care, and the mission has real impact.

When I spent time with the GitLab management team and Board, I saw a company that is building something enduring: a platform that empowers developers, accelerates innovation, and helps organizations operate with greater transparency, trust, and velocity.

What stood out most was not just the product, but the culture. GitLab’s commitment to learning, iteration, and building in the open deeply aligns with how I lead and how I grow.

I believe GitLab is at an inflection point where disciplined execution, creative problem-solving, and strong partnership across the business can meaningfully shape our future. That’s why I’m here: to help steward the next chapter with clarity, rigor, and heart.

About Me

I’m a finance leader by trade and a growth-minded change leader at heart.

My career has been shaped by building and scaling teams, strengthening fundamentals, and helping organizations navigate complexity while staying focused on what matters most. I’m energized by learning, by hard problems, and by environments where curiosity and accountability coexist.

I tend to think long-term, move with intention, and bring structure to ambiguity. I believe finance is at its best when it combines rigor with the art of the possible. When it delivers insight, not just numbers, and acts as a true strategic partner to the business.

You’ll experience me as transparent, collaborative, and direct. I care deeply about ownership. Owning outcomes, decisions, and our collective success, and I work hard to create clarity so teams can move confidently.

My goal is to build an environment where people feel trusted, challenged, and supported. An environment where great ideas turn into meaningful impact.

My Values

(in priority order)

Family

Family grounds me and shapes how I lead. I believe people do their best work when they are supported as whole humans, with full lives, responsibilities, and identities outside of work. Protecting that balance matters.

Integrity

I strive to do what’s right for the business without compromising core principles. Integrity builds trust, and trust enables strong partnerships, good judgment, and long-term performance.

Impact

I focus on outcomes that matter: Outcomes for our customers, our teams, and the Company’s long-term success. Effort is important; impact is the goal.

Growth

I’m always learning: Learning about the business, about leadership, and about myself. Growth comes from curiosity, feedback, and a willingness to stretch beyond what’s comfortable.

My Superpowers

Learning + Growth Mindset

I’m deeply curious and continuously evolving. I value reflection, feedback, and experimentation, and I expect the same openness to learning from those around me.

Clarity in Complexity

I help distill ambiguity into clear priorities, decisions, and next steps so teams can move with confidence.

Creativity + Rigor

I believe finance should be both imaginative and disciplined. It should pair strategic insight with strong execution.

Calm, Disciplined Execution

I bring steadiness in high-stakes moments and a strong bias toward follow-through and accountability.

Where I’m Still Growing

Pace vs. Patience

I like momentum and ambitious goals. I’m thoughtful about balancing speed, realism, and sustainability.

Letting Go

Because I care deeply, I can sometimes take on too much. I’m intentional about empowering others and creating space for ownership.

Protecting Bandwidth

I’m continually working on boundaries that support focus, energy, and long-term effectiveness for myself and for my team.

Communication Style

Visual and story-driven

I process information best when it is visual and grounded in a clear narrative. Charts, simple frameworks, timelines, and written stories help me quickly understand context, tradeoffs, and implications. If you can show the journey, not just the answer, I will engage deeply.

Ideation vs. decision-making

I enjoy ideating and exploring possibilities, especially early in problem-solving. At times, I may be in “idea mode” rather than “decision mode.” I will do my best to signal when we are exploring versus when we are aligning on direction, and I welcome teams to ask if that is unclear.

Bottom-line first

When we are in decision mode, lead with the recommendation or decision, then provide the supporting story, data, and rationale.

Async preferred

Slack or email works well for most topics. Please include:

• the context or problem we are solving

• a clear narrative of what is happening and why it matters

• the specific ask or decision needed

• timing and urgency

Synchronous for nuance

Complex, ambiguous, or sensitive topics are often best discussed live, especially when we are working through tradeoffs or shaping a story together.

Open to challenge

I think out loud, evolve my thinking, and welcome healthy debate. Decisive does not mean closed-minded. Strong ideas get stronger through dialogue.

My Expectations of the Team

Ownership-driven culture

Take accountability for outcomes, not just tasks. Own results end-to-end, follow through on commitments, and close loops. When priorities or assumptions change, communicate early, surface risks, and propose solutions.

Focus on impact

Be clear on how your work moves the business forward. Ask: What problem does this solve? How does this help our customers, teams, or long-term strategy? Prioritize work that drives meaningful outcomes over activity.

Partnership and trust

Finance succeeds when we are deeply connected to the business and show up as true collaborators. Share context and insights, listen actively, and seek alignment early. Partner with empathy, respect different perspectives, and work toward shared goals.

Curiosity and learning

Ask thoughtful questions, challenge assumptions, and stay open to new ideas. Seek feedback, learn from mistakes, and continuously improve how we work and lead.

People-first leadership

We do excellent work while recognizing that people are more than their roles. Be thoughtful with time, lead with empathy, and assume positive intent. Create space for balance, well-being, and honest conversations, knowing that sustainable performance comes from feeling supported, respected, and trusted.

My Role

I serve as GitLab’s Chief Financial Officer.

I am responsible for stewarding financial health, enabling strategic growth, and ensuring the systems, insights, and discipline are in place to support GitLab’s long-term success, all in service of our mission and values.

Final Note

Bold ambition paired with discipline, learning, and trust is how enduring companies are built. By staying aligned, leading with integrity, and moving forward together, we can create something impactful and lasting.