Navan Employees Leading by Example: How We Live Our Values

At Navan, our values aren’t just posters on a wall; they’re the blueprint for how we build, scale, and support one another. From pioneering our AI-first solutions to navigating high-stakes global crises, our employees embody these principles every day to drive impact for our customers and our internal teams.

Here are a few teammates who lift up and exemplify these values in their day-to-day work.

AI-First on Every Challenge and Delivery, by Every Team

Xiaopeng has been a foundational force at Navan for more than seven years, consistently engineering for scale by building the robust payment and data infrastructures that power our global operations. By living our “AI-first” value long before it became a global buzzword, he has proactively driven innovation to transform our technical foundation. His leadership was instrumental in building the high-integrity financial warehouse that now provides critical, accurate reporting for both our internal finance team and our customers.

Xiaopeng is a driving force behind the “expense magic” our users love. He has been a key player in developing AI agents designed to eliminate manual out-of-pocket expense submissions and ensure seamless late-night hotel check-ins. These innovations prove that high-integrity data and cutting-edge technology are the backbones of the delightful experience Navan is known for.

Today, as a principal engineer, Xiaopeng is also making an enormous impact by helping to inspire Navan’s culture of excellence and mentorship across the organization. He reinforces our “AI-first” commitment by sharing practices that help the entire engineering team work smarter and move faster. Whether he’s spotting a scaling bottleneck months in advance or rallying a cross-functional team to solve a complex problem, Xiaopeng consistently elevates the work of his teammates and those around him.

In their words, on living this value:

Q: What is one piece of advice you give to other engineers for adopting an “AI-first” mindset in their daily work?

A: Engineers should start thinking more like builders. With AI coding tools, it’s now easier than ever to just try ideas across UI, front end, back end, and product instead of staying in one lane.

Never Done Growing and Raising Your Personal Bar

In her four-plus years at Navan, Alanna has treated every role as an evolution, embodying our value to “never be done growing and raising your personal bar.” She doesn’t just meet expectations, she redefines them by leaning into every challenge — which has been pivotal to her success here.

Alanna’s track record began in San Francisco as a powerhouse sales development representative who crushed quotas, followed by a high-performing tenure as an account manager, where she consistently topped leaderboards. Not one to stay in a comfort zone, she then moved across the pond to London, where she stepped into leadership. Over the last year, Alanna has proven herself a world-class manager and talent developer, leading the UK Commercial Account Management team to great success.

Now, Alanna has stepped into a critical strategic role as senior manager, customer success transformation. She is leading one of our vital missions: migrating customers from R&M to Navan technology. She isn’t just overseeing the process. She’s in the trenches: launching the first combined-service customers, building the playbooks, and scaling what works across functions. With deep product expertise and a customer-first mindset, Alanna creates the momentum that empowers everyone around her to rise to the occasion.

In their words, on living this value:

Q: Beyond individual accomplishments, how do you actively drive a culture where every team member is inspired to “raise their personal bar?”

A: Raising the bar isn’t just celebrated here — it’s seen. When someone does something exceptional, I don't let it fade into a passing “great job.” I name it. I call out exactly what they did, why it mattered, and the impact it created. When people know their best work is truly witnessed, they’re inspired to find their next best. At Navan, when you raise your bar, your career moves with it. Every time someone steps into a bigger version of themselves, that growth opens the door to the next chapter in their journey. The bar you raise today is the foundation you build your future on.

All About the User — All Users, All the Time

Nicole exemplifies what it means to live our core value: “All About the Users — All Users, All of the Time.” Her work doesn’t just support our customers; it transforms their experience and deepens their trust in Navan.

This has been especially clear recently in her partnership with one of Navan’s most strategic customers. When this account needed critical support, Nicole didn’t just step in — she immediately stepped up. She worked directly with the executive assistants (EAs) of the organization’s most senior leaders, as well as its board of directors. She listened, truly understood their priorities, and met them exactly where they were. She took the challenge head-on and owned the relationship completely.

Nicole has a wealth of experience, deep product knowledge, and a relentless focus on outcomes that champion her users. To her technical skills, Nicole adds some “secret sauce” — enthusiasm, proactiveness, and the ability to communicate with warmth, compassion, and humor. EAs trust and rely on her as an extension of their own teams — their “Wonder Woman” on the inside who’s always advocating for them.

Nicole is a wonderful example of what “showing up” looks like. She’s an invaluable asset to Navan, a true team player, and the definition of a Navan champion.

In their words, on living this value:

Q: You’ve been called the EA’s “Wonder Woman” and advocate. What are some of the things you think are most important that you bring to your relationship with EAs?

A: I believe that building strong, trust-based relationships with EAs is essential. I strive to be proactive, responsive, and attentive to their needs, understanding that their time is incredibly valuable. My goal is to provide reliable, efficient support, anticipate challenges before they arise, and offer creative solutions to ensure their executives’ travel runs smoothly. Clear communication and empathy are key — I want EAs to feel confident they have a partner who truly understands their unique pressures and priorities. Ultimately, I’m committed to being someone they can depend on, so they can focus on what they do best.

Extreme Ownership and Bias to Action

Liel joined Navan nearly four years ago as an engineering intern and has since evolved into a powerhouse of innovation. He personifies the value of “extreme ownership and bias to action,” transitioning from a fresh graduate into a cornerstone of our AI leadership.

His dedication to this value is clear through his work on Ava, Navan’s AI travel agent. Rather than waiting for instructions, Liel identified complex gaps for the admin persona and took it upon himself to design and implement the solutions. His commitment to being “AI-first” was instrumental, as he helped develop the memory and evals modules — technical foundations so critical that the release of Navan Edge would not have been possible without them.

After being deeply involved in our first “Book with AI” launch for flights, Liel now solely owns the AI booking experience for hotels, cars, and rail. Now an engineering manager in our Tel Aviv office, he has built a high-performing team by transforming a group of young individuals into one of our most productive and happiest units. Liel’s elite soft skills and relentless can-do approach allow him to solve the hardest technical challenges while maintaining a positive atmosphere for everyone around him.

In their words, on living this value:

Q: How do you define “extreme ownership,” and what practical steps do you take to foster that culture of accountability within your team?

A: To me, extreme ownership begins with the simple mindset that there is no such thing as “that’s not my job.” If something needs to be addressed for the product to succeed, it’s my responsibility, period. To build this culture within my team, I focus on giving engineers ownership over outcomes, not just tasks. We approach our work as partners, and most importantly, we truly love what we do.

Best Team

Gary and the entire UAE Operations Team exemplify the Navan value of “best team.” When the travel crisis broke out in the Middle East, Gary assembled a team that worked tirelessly around the clock for several weeks to help our travelers. During this period, they worked closely with risk management companies to assist with evacuations and repatriations from the region, upholding our commitment to traveler safety and experience.

They were truly the best team and incredible teammates to each other, supporting one another even as many of them were personally impacted by the escalating regional crisis. At a moment when our team and our ability to work together was truly tested, Gary and everyone else on the team absolutely delivered.

In their words, on living this value:

Q: The “best team” value is all about support and being the best teammate. When bringing new people onto your team, what are the most critical qualities you look for in a teammate to ensure our collaborative culture continues to thrive?

A: We operate in a service‑driven industry, and our core product is high‑touch, human‑centered service delivery. Our team is selected primarily for the right attitude. When I interview candidates, I’m not looking for perfect answers, I’m looking at how they approach a question, the confidence they demonstrate, and whether they naturally put themselves in the customer’s position. I want people who deliver service in the same way they would expect to receive it.

Seriously Fun

Navan’s unique balance of high performance and camaraderie is captured by the value “seriously fun.” We take the mission of revolutionizing T&E incredibly seriously, driving aggressive results and making the necessary hard calls, but we make sure we never take ourselves too seriously. This philosophy cultivates an environment where teammates are constantly challenging each other to be better while also deeply supporting one another and celebrating the wins together.

Navan employees across the globe are truly committed to living our values in their day-to-day work, and that is what makes our culture so special. We are a driven organization, constantly looking to make each other better and to fulfill our mission: to make travel easy for everyone by being the best travel agency on the planet. The stories shared here are just a snapshot of the amazing work Navan employees are doing every day across the globe to fulfill this mission.

Do these values speak to you? We are actively looking for value-aligned individuals to join our mission-driven group. Check out our open roles at navan.com/careers.