Scott Farquhar

Scott Farquhar is an Australian entrepreneur and business executive best known as the co-founder and co-chief executive officer of the software company Atlassian. Alongside Mike Cannon-Brookes, he built the enterprise from a startup in Sydney into a global, publicly traded leader in collaboration software and project management tools. Farquhar's leadership has been instrumental in shaping the company's unique culture, product strategy, and significant philanthropic initiatives.

Early life and education

Scott Farquhar was born on December 26, 1979, in Sydney, Australia. He grew up in the suburb of West Pymble and attended Pymble Public School before completing his secondary education at Sydney Boys High School. Farquhar pursued higher education at the University of New South Wales, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Systems. It was at the university's Faculty of Engineering that he met his future business partner, Mike Cannon-Brookes, with whom he shared an interest in software development and entrepreneurship.

Career

After graduating, Farquhar initially worked as a technology consultant for KPMG in Sydney. However, he and Cannon-Brookes soon decided to pursue their own venture, driven by a desire to create software that improved team productivity. In 2002, they co-founded Atlassian with a $10,000 credit card debt, operating from a small apartment in Sydney. Farquhar's early roles encompassed sales, marketing, and business development, helping to establish the company's foundational go-to-market strategy and its pioneering low-touch sales model. His executive leadership has been central to navigating the company's expansion, including its landmark initial public offering on the NASDAQ in 2015.

Atlassian

As co-CEO of Atlassian, Farquhar shares responsibility for the overall vision and strategy of the corporation. He has played a key role in the development and success of flagship products like Jira, Confluence, and Trello, which are used by millions of teams worldwide, including major organizations like NASA, Tesla, and Spotify. Under his co-leadership, Atlassian has made significant acquisitions, such as HipChat and Opsgenie, to broaden its product portfolio. Farquhar is also a vocal advocate for the company's distinctive corporate culture, which emphasizes values like "Open Company, No Bullshit" and has earned Atlassian consistent recognition on the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list.

Personal life

Scott Farquhar is married and has children, maintaining a relatively private family life. He is known for his passion for sailing and is an avid participant in the sport, having competed in events like the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. In 2017, he purchased the historic Fairwater estate in Point Piper, one of Sydney's most expensive residential properties, previously owned by the Fairfax family. Farquhar is also a noted art collector, with a particular interest in works by contemporary Australian artists.

Philanthropy and investments

Through the Atlassian Foundation, Farquhar and Cannon-Brookes have committed to donating 1% of the company's equity, profit, product, and employee time to charitable causes, focusing on improving education and health outcomes. Farquhar personally signed The Giving Pledge, committing the majority of his wealth to philanthropy. His investment activities extend beyond Atlassian, including involvement in venture capital through funds like Blackbird Ventures and personal investments in Australian technology startups such as Canva and SafetyCulture. He is also a significant donor to his alma mater, the University of New South Wales, supporting initiatives in computer science and entrepreneurship.

Category:Australian businesspeople Category:Australian technology company founders Category:1979 births Category:Living people