Robert F. Smith

Founder, Chairman & CEO at Vista Equity Partners

Interviewee

Robert F. Smith is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, a leading global investment firm focused exclusively on enterprise software. Vista invests through private equity and private credit strategies and currently has over $100 billion in assets under management. Vista’s diversified portfolio of technology companies provides mission-critical solutions to millions of customers around the world and collectively employs over 100,000 people.

Smith directs Vista’s investment strategy and capital formation efforts and oversees the governance of the firm. He sits on the Investment Committees for Vista’s Flagship, Foundation, Endeavor, Perennial and VistaOne Funds and serves as a member of Vista’s Executive Committee, Private Equity Management Committee, and is the Chairman of VistaOne. Since founding Vista, Smith has supervised more than 600 completed transactions, representing over $320 billion in aggregate value.

In recognition of Smith’s innovative approach to investing in software businesses and his leadership in the asset management industry, Forbes named him one of the “100 Greatest Living Business Minds” in 2017. He was also recognized as one of TIME100’s “Most Influential People” in 2020 and received the Committee for Economic Development’s Distinguished Leadership Award in 2024.

In addition to his work at Vista, Smith is a Founding Member of the World Economic Forum’s EDISON Alliance and the International Monetary Fund’s Advisory Council on Entrepreneurship and Growth. He is the Chairman of Carnegie Hall, Chairman of the Student Freedom Initiative, Founding Director and President of Fund II Foundation, and he co-leads the Southern Communities Initiative. He also serves on the Board of Overseers of Columbia Business School and is a member of the Cornell Engineering College Council.

Smith holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.