On November 4, 2025, Sequoia announced that Pat Grady and I would be succeeding Roelof as Co-Stewards of Sequoia Capital.

Before I met Roelof, I had heard stories about this remarkable CFO — the one who took PayPal public at just twenty-eight, sold it to eBay, and then joined Sequoia as a new partner.

When we finally met for breakfast at Buck’s in Woodside, what was supposed to be an hour turned into ninety minutes. From the very first moment, it felt as if we’d known each other for years. We became fast friends that morning, and I remember walking away thinking: how amazing would it be if we could work together one day?

I got my first glimpse of what that might be like when Sequoia decided to invest in Zappos, and Roelof led the diligence. He asked such thoughtful, sharp questions — the kind that made everyone in the room think harder. During that process, he came up with brilliant ideas for how to model our cohorts and understand our return rate. Watching him in action — so clear, so insightful — was inspiring. I loved having him observe the Zappos board, and again, I found myself thinking: wouldn’t it be incredible to work more closely with him?

Then, before the 2010 TED conference, Roelof met me and handed me an offer letter to join Sequoia. That moment changed my life. He brought me here. He believed in me. He mentored me, guided me, and showed me what it means to transition from being a company builder to being an investor.

Roelof is the perfect combination of demanding and deeply supportive. He’s never been afraid to give me honest, even tough feedback — but he’s always been there during the hardest times.

He was there when I struggled to tell the difference between a good company and a truly special one. He was there when I thought about leaving Sequoia, a year after my father passed away.

And he was there when I was trying to figure out how to help Airbnb survive when the business fell off a cliff during COVID.

Through it all, Roelof has been my teacher, my mentor, and my friend.

Roelof, I am profoundly grateful for everything you’ve done — for believing in me, for challenging me, and for helping me become the person and investor I am today.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.