Celebrating a Decade of Global Growth: Navan’s Culture Across the Globe

As Navan commemorates its tenth anniversary, we can’t help but feel, in many ways, like we’ve scored a ‘perfect 10.’

We have a lot to be proud of: We’re leading the disruption of a legacy industry by offering a solution singular to the market, and the business has rapidly expanded — both geographically and in its proprietary offerings.

Especially when we consider our humble beginnings:

A lot has changed over the years — even our name. However, the one thing that remains the same, our north star, is our focus on people. This doesn’t just include all of our global customers, but also our 3,000+ employees across the world who make everything we do possible.

While we function as one well-oiled machine, each one of our global offices has a culture unique to itself — all of which contribute to Navan’s illustrious culture of high talent density, extreme ownership, and meritocracy.

These collective contributions have been instrumental to our organization’s growth and success.

To mark this special occasion, we asked Navanians in 10 offices across the globe to share how their office’s individual culture contributes to Navan’s overall success.

The result? A scrapbook of experiences and learnings that demonstrate the grit, collaboration, and spirit that make Navan, Navan.

North America

Palo Alto, California

What better place to start than where Navan’s story began: in Palo Alto, CA. And we’re not talking about our original HQ at 409 Sherman Avenue, but our modern, spacious HQ just 2 minutes down the road.

When Navanians aren’t getting a seasonal latte from our in-house Coffee Movement baristas, you may find them outside soaking up the sun with colleagues on our outdoor patio.

But for Omri Shemtov, a Senior Software Engineer based in Palo Alto, it’s all about the people.

“We’re an in-person company, and the close-knit setting means you naturally get to know folks from different teams and departments. It fosters better communication, encourages collaboration, and creates a genuinely open and welcoming environment.”

Another perk of our Palo Alto office? Learning directly from our leadership team. “When leadership is in town for an event or an all-hands meeting, the energy really amps up. The office fills up, conversations buzz, and the whole space feels vibrant and electric — it’s a great reminder of the shared mission and momentum we’re all a part of,” says Shemtov.

New York City, New York

Whether our employees are in India, Lisbon, or San Francisco, one pillar of Navan’s culture remains present — understanding the value of in-person connections.

This is especially true in Navan’s NYC office, located in Flatiron. Matthew Shepard-Lupo, Director of Travel Management and longtime Navan employee — 7 years and counting — has found this characteristic to be unwavering in his tenure.

“Our office is a central hub as well for employees globally who are coming to visit, so there’s always a fun new face to meet and learn more about what they do.”

Austin, Texas

Lauren Mallen, Head of Field Marketing and Events, started at Navan in San Francisco and has since moved out to the Austin office — a liberty that is encouraged at Navan.

She was quickly impressed by how easy it was to assimilate into the Austin office and the cordiality of the community.

“We know each other as people, not just coworkers — we’re part of the big celebrations and tough moments outside of work.”

Mallen believes that this contagious energy is not only what sets Navan apart as an employer but also as a player in the market.

“When I run events, prospective clients, customers, bartenders, hotel managers, and more all say we are their most fun, most friendly, most kind group they have worked with.”

EMEA

Business travel is global, which means that as a TMC and expense management provider, Navan has to be global too.

Through strategic acquisitions — including Reed & Mackay (London) in 2021; Comtravo (Germany), Resia (Sweden), and Atlanta Events & Corporate Travel Consultants (Spain) in 2022 — the Navan Group has solidified itself as a leader in the European T&E market.

In fact, Navan’s successful growth in the region has been so rapid that it is now the 4th largest TMC in all of Europe.

Now, let’s hear from some of the team members who helped make this expansion as smooth and successful as possible.

London

Settled in the heart of Holborn, Navan’s London office is home to more than 150 Navanians.

Charlotte Delafosse, Regional Director of Growth for Mid-Market EMEA Sales, believes that the London office exemplifies the company’s core pillar of bias toward action, remaining impressively nimble regardless of the circumstance.

“Everyone’s ability to embrace change is key. Strong leadership has set the tone, and we hold each other accountable for Navan’s success.”

Paris

When asked what she thinks has contributed to Navan’s success over the past 10 years,Aulona Gashi, Senior Enterprise Solutions Architect, says it all comes down to the company’s unique culture of extreme ownership.

“There's a real focus on ownership and accountability — people at every level are encouraged to think like founders and to challenge the status quo.”

Gashi says that Navan’s high talent density is what makes the Paris office so exciting.

“Teamwork has also been a huge part of Navan's success: teams collaborate closely, support each other, and celebrate each other’s wins, creating an environment where everyone is motivated to raise the bar.”

Berlin

Christopher Kieseler, Payment Operations Team Lead, says the Berlin office is all about connecting and collaborating in person. But it’s not always just about the work.

“The energy in the office is contagious. It's the kind of space where you can dive into challenging projects and easily take a break for a friendly ping-pong match or a coffee chat, all while knowing your ideas matter.”

Kieseler brings a unique POV, as he joined Navan in early 2023, following its acquisition of Comtravo, a travel management company (TMC) that served the DACH and Scandinavian regions.

With nearly a decade of TMC experience under his belt, he believes that Navan’s success can be attributed to the culture that leadership has created.

“The entrepreneurial mindset encourages employees around the globe to think and act like an owner. Having the opportunity in the day-to-day roles to take calculated risks, experiment with new ideas, and pursue innovations makes it vital to grow as an employee, and as a company,” he said.

Lisbon

Nora Bašić, Global Operations and Service Trainer, has remained at Navan for nearly four years because of the company’s boundless opportunities and meritocratic culture.

“One memorable experience was when we organized a cross-office collaboration project between the Lisbon and the US team in 2023. EMEA-based consultants got the opportunity to travel to Palo Alto, California, to support the U.S. time hours due to a big spike in the volume. They were able to share ideas, learn from each other, and celebrate our diverse perspectives, which is so central to Navan’s collaborative spirit.”

For Bašić, Navan’s focus on learning and career growth, no matter the role, is what makes it such a special place to work.

“Navan’s commitment to employee development and well-being has created a culture where people feel valued and motivated to contribute their best.”

Tel Aviv

Navan’s Tel Aviv office is a testament to another one of the company’s defining cultural pillars: relentless innovation. The team thrives in an environment that celebrates creative problem-solving, agility, and a passion for pushing boundaries.

For Guy Hanael, Senior Director of Engineering, joining Navan was about finding a fast-paced, forward-thinking workplace where bold ideas are encouraged and achieving the impossible is part of everyday life. “The ability to move this ship like it’s a speedboat in order to focus on the right agendas is key to the success of the company,” he explains.

APAC

Expanding to India’s rapidly growing business travel market was instrumental to Navan’s success as a truly global TMC.

While Navan had already started to put down roots in the Indian travel market, Navan’s breakout moment in the region came with its acquisition of Tripeur, an AI-powered, India-based corporate travel and expense management company, in 2023.

By integrating Tripeur’s localized technology, inventory, and support, Navan has set a new standard for how TMCs support global business travelers in the region.

But none of it would have been possible without our expanding teams in Delhi, Bangalore, and Gurgaon.

Bangalore

As the co-founder of Tripeur, Thiagarajan Rajagopalan — now VP of Product at Navan — has a deep understanding of what it takes to build a world-class corporate travel solution. At Navan’s Bangalore office, the relentless focus on quality and prioritizing customers is palpable.

“By prioritizing customer needs and staying ahead of the curve, Navan consistently delivers exceptional value and builds strong customer relationships,” says Thiagarajan.

It’s this customer-centric and forward-thinking culture across Navan’s India offices that continues to drive Navan’s growth and impact in the region.

Gurgaon

Even with an impressive career in both travel and payments, Shreya Sharma, Head of Product in India, has reached new heights in her two and a half years at Navan.

Sharma is constantly impressed with the grit, collaboration, and agility of the team in Gurgaon.

One of her personal career highlights? Supporting the launch of one of Navan’s largest enterprise customers to date: Unilever. “The Navan Gurgaon office played a crucial role in Unilever's India launch. A small, dedicated team of 4-6 individuals transcended their defined roles, collaborating effectively to guarantee a successful launch.”

That milestone perfectly captures the spirit of the Gurgaon office in Sharma’s eyes.

“Navan’s ability to quickly transform and adapt to the dynamic needs of the market has been one of the driving forces of its success.”

From Delhi to Dallas, learn more about Navan’s open roles across the globe today.