Ozzie Goldschmied
UdemyAbout Ozzie Goldschmied
Ozzie Goldschmied is Udemy’s Chief Technology Officer, appointed effective June 11, 2025; age 48, reporting to CEO Hugo Sarrazin and overseeing Engineering, Design, Product, Data Science, and Technical Product Management . He holds a Bachelor of Mathematics in Computer Science from the University of Waterloo and joined as a consultant before transitioning to employment with Udemy’s Canadian subsidiary around August 15, 2025 . Prior leadership includes CTO roles and large-scale R&D management at Dayforce/Ceridian with global teams; his mandate at Udemy emphasizes accelerating the AI-powered product roadmap and platform transformation . Company-level performance metrics (TSR, revenue growth, EBITDA growth) tied specifically to his tenure are not disclosed; recent materials highlight multiple AI product launches and enterprise partnerships contemporaneous with his appointment .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayforce Corporation | Co-founder; Head of Engineering | Pre-2012 (founding) | Spearheaded HCM platform that became Ceridian’s flagship after acquisition . |
| Ceridian/Dayforce, Inc. | SVP R&D (2012–2014); EVP & CTO (2014–2020) | 2012–2020 | Led >1,200 global R&D/Product team; scaled enterprise HCM; platform became company’s core offering; rebrand to Dayforce in 2024 . |
| Workbrain | Development Team Lead & Architect | Pre-2007 | Workforce management software; acquired by Infor in 2007 . |
| GoldenRock Inc. | Founder & CEO; technical consultancy | Oct 2022–Jun 2025 | Supported PE/VC on product innovation and scaling, particularly with AI . |
| Independent Consultant | Consultant | Jan 2021–Jun 2025 | Advisory/consulting prior to Udemy appointment . |
External Roles
No public company directorships or external board roles disclosed.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Consulting Period (Jun–Aug 2025) | Employee (from ~Aug 15, 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Base cash | $39,166.67 per month consulting fee | CAD $649,348.57 annual base (USD $470,000 converted at 0.72366) |
| Benefits | Independent contractor; no Company-sponsored benefits (except continued vesting of equity awards if previously outstanding) | CAD $1,000 monthly stipend until group plan implemented |
| Signing bonus | Not disclosed | CAD $1,000 one-time signing bonus |
Performance Compensation
| Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting/Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Bonus | Not explicitly weighted; target defined | 70% of base salary target | Not disclosed | Discretionary; determined by Board | Paid in cash; eligibility ends upon notice/termination, subject to ESA |
| Company incentive metrics | Used for executives per proxy | Objective financial metrics; pay-for-performance program | Not disclosed for CTO | Clawback applies for restatements | Standard executive program timing; specifics not disclosed |
Notes:
- Udemy employs objective financial metrics and a clawback policy; specific metric mix for the CTO’s annual incentive not disclosed in filings .
- Bonus eligibility policies are governed by ESA and company rules; pro-ration in first year based on service from initial start date .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Initial RSU grant | 645,000 RSUs; anticipated grant on or before July 15, 2025 |
| Vesting structure | 1/3 vests 12 months post-grant; remaining 2/3 vests in equal quarterly installments over next 24 months, subject to continued service |
| Stock ownership guidelines | Executives reporting to CEO must hold 1× base salary in shares; unvested RSUs/PSUs/options do not count |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited for directors, officers, employees; no pledging or derivatives |
| Clawback | Non-discretionary recovery of excess incentive-based comp upon restatement, compliant with SEC/Nasdaq rules |
| Option awards | None disclosed for Goldschmied |
| Beneficial ownership | Not disclosed; initial grant unvested |
Detailed RSU Vesting Schedule (anticipated)
| Vest Date | Shares | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 15, 2026 (12 months post-grant) | 215,000 (1/3 of 645,000) | Subject to continued service; no vest before this date |
| Oct 15, 2026 | 53,750 (1/8 of remaining 430,000) | Quarterly vest thereafter |
| Jan 15, 2027 | 53,750 | Quarterly vest |
| Apr 15, 2027 | 53,750 | Quarterly vest |
| Jul 15, 2027 | 53,750 | Quarterly vest |
| Oct 15, 2027 | 53,750 | Quarterly vest |
| Jan 15, 2028 | 53,750 | Quarterly vest |
| Apr 15, 2028 | 53,750 | Quarterly vest completes |
Vest dates reflect the agreement’s anticipated grant timing “on or before July 15, 2025,” with equal quarterly installments; exact dates subject to Board grant timing and company calendar .
Employment Terms
| Term | Provision |
|---|---|
| Start dates | Consultant effective June 11, 2025; employment expected ~Aug 15, 2025; service credited from June 11, 2025 |
| Contract term | Employment agreement governed by Ontario law; standard at-will-like framework per Canadian employment contract; restrictions and termination provisions as specified |
| CIC & Severance Agreement | 3-year initial term; auto-renews for 3-year periods; extends to 12 months after CIC if <12 months remain |
| Severance (Non-CIC) | Lump sum: 6 months base salary + prorated target bonus; 6 months benefit coverage maximum |
| Severance (CIC; double trigger) | Lump sum: 12 months base salary + 100% target bonus; up to 12 months benefit coverage; 100% acceleration of unvested equity at target for performance awards |
| Good Reason/Cause | Defined; includes material reduction in authority/compensation, relocation >30 miles, material breach; cure rights apply |
| Non-compete (consulting) | No Competing during consulting term across broad territories; disclosure obligations for new employment |
| Non-solicit (employment) | 6 months customer non-solicit; 12 months personnel non-solicit post-employment |
| Confidentiality/IP | Strict confidentiality; assignment of inventions; moral rights waiver; return of materials |
| Arbitration | JAMS Employment Arbitration Rules; California law/process for consulting agreement disputes; venue SF, CA |
| Governing law | Consulting: California; CIC Agreement: Ontario; Employment: Ontario |
Compensation Structure Analysis
- Equity-heavy initial package (645k RSUs) with first vest at 12 months, creating retention lock-in and delayed liquidity; quarterly vest thereafter smooths selling cadence and aligns continued service with value realization .
- Target bonus at 70% of base salary is above typical tech executive medians, signaling emphasis on at‑risk pay; however, specific performance metrics/payout curves for CTO are not disclosed, with proxy emphasizing objective financial metrics and clawback compliance .
- Governance features include double-trigger CIC vesting, anti-hedging/pledging, no excise tax gross-ups, and stock ownership guidelines (1× salary for executives), all supportive of shareholder alignment .
Performance & Track Record
- Enterprise-scale HCM build and scale: co-founded Dayforce HCM platform; post-acquisition led Ceridian’s R&D/Product (>1,200 employees), delivering value to thousands of organizations and millions of workers globally .
- Prior roles in workforce management (Workbrain) and AI-focused product advisory (GoldenRock), aligning with Udemy’s AI skills acceleration strategy .
- Udemy contemporaneous initiatives in 2025: AI Packages, Role Play simulations, MCP Server beta, Lummi integration, partnerships (Indeed, UKG), and 200k Personal Plan subscribers milestone; appointment positioned to spearhead AI platform transformation .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Aspect | Status |
|---|---|
| Ownership guideline | 1× base salary for executives reporting to CEO; compliance measured by owned shares only (no unvested RSUs/options) |
| Compliance status | Not disclosed for Goldschmied; initial RSU grant unvested |
| Pledging/Hedging | Prohibited by Insider Trading Policy |
| Clawback | Applies to incentive comp for accounting restatements |
Employment Contracts & Retention Risk
- Retention levers: substantial RSU grant with one-year cliff, quarterly vest thereafter; CIC Agreement providing meaningful severance and 100% equity acceleration upon double-trigger CIC termination .
- Restrictive covenants: robust non-compete during consulting period; post-employment non-solicit windows (6–12 months) in employment agreement .
- Auto-renewing CIC Agreement (3-year cycles) ensures continuity of protection and could impact negotiation dynamics in M&A scenarios .
Investment Implications
- Near-term insider selling pressure is limited until the July 2026 cliff vest; subsequent quarterly vesting could introduce predictable liquidity windows—anti-hedging/pledging policies and ownership guidelines mitigate misalignment risks .
- The equity-heavy structure and double-trigger acceleration align incentives with company performance and retention; severance economics (6–12 months salary plus bonus, plus equity acceleration under CIC) are standard and not shareholder-unfriendly (no tax gross-ups) .
- Execution upside: deep HCM/enterprise platform track record and AI-centric mandate match Udemy’s 2025 product roadmap; risk remains around the specificity of CTO metric linkage and payout calibration, which are not disclosed .