How Allan Thygesen is steering Docusign beyond the e-signature

“How They See It” is where we delve into the minds of those steering the ships of today’s most dynamic companies. In this instalment, we ask Allan Thygensen, CEO of software company, Docusign, about how he sees his work with electronic agreements. He shares about Docusign’s new technology, the difficulties of being the leader of an innovative company, and the importance of trust. Click here for more interviews with business leaders.

For over two decades, Docusign has pioneered e-signatures, which fundamentally changed how agreements were signed and helped businesses operate from anywhere. Now, we’re entering a new chapter: moving beyond electronic signatures to a broader, innovative approach we call Intelligent Agreement Management (IAM). 

My goal is to lead Docusign in redefining the agreement process, ensuring that contracts and agreements don’t just get signed but drive tangible insights and actions. In steering this change, I see my role as CEO going beyond introducing new technology, into driving a larger transformative shift in how the world approaches business agreements. 

In today’s fast-paced world, agreements represent some of the most important details for organisations. Yet, outdated agreement management systems are surprisingly common and cost businesses tremendously. Research by Deloitte estimates that up to 14,000 hours are lost when analysing past agreements for clarity and understanding, and that businesses ultimately lose almost SGD 2.4 trillion annually because of inefficient agreement management systems. 

And while wasted time, revenue loss, and operational delays are often accepted as unavoidable, we want to move away from such traditional limitations. I envision a day when every organisation views agreements not as tasks to complete but as valuable tools that enhance productivity and growth. I believe we can do this, starting with breaking out of this agreement trap.

Tackling the Agreement Trap

The Agreement Trap is an all-too-common situation where critical information in agreements is trapped within disconnected systems, making it hard to retrieve, understand, and act on. 

Agreements today are often stored as static documents. As a result, companies lack the flexibility to adapt, update, or add extra key data. which also prevents them from seamlessly integrating these documents into their newer systems. This can delay compliance efforts, cause missed opportunities, and result in compounding effects that limit organisational potential and lead to costly mistakes.

Instead of resolving this Agreement Trap, many companies have accepted these inefficiencies as unavoidable facets of agreements. After all, this problem is easier to ignore than resolve, particularly as the right tools haven’t existed at a meaningful scale — at least until recently.

Our recently launched IAM software, for instance, uses advanced AI to create agreements that can transform agreement data into actionable insights. This approach can accelerate contract review cycles, boost productivity, and ensure that critical deadlines aren’t missed. AI can also assist with contract negotiations by offering clause suggestions, or highlighting terms that don’t align with company standards — all based on historical data and the company’s own guidelines. 

I think that IAM has the potential for real change and that this is the beginning of an entirely new software as a service (SaaS) category that will one day be on par with categories like customer relationship management, human resource management software, and enterprise resource planning.

Leading the charge

I’ve been with Docusign for two years now, and one reason I find my time here so fulfilling is the strong culture of innovation — the kind that enables us to create an entirely new SaaS category in just one year. It's been incredibly fulfilling to have the opportunity to lead a global team of people who share in a collective vision of transforming not just agreements, but our entire company.

In just 12 months, we did what would take most companies many years. We’ve created an entirely new SaaS category, shipped a broad suite of new functionality and reinvented our brand with a new identity. This would not have been possible without the commitment and ambition of our teams who are constantly pushing boundaries and working to solve real-world problems.

But transformation isn’t easy. Change at any level is difficult and often met with resistance. I aim to create a culture that grants people the freedom to experiment and fail, while remaining disciplined in terms of business goals and resources. However, driving this change goes beyond fostering a culture of innovation: it’s about being a change agent. 

This means being very clear on priorities, allocating resources accordingly, and maintaining focus as much as possible. As an example, one of the toughest decisions you make as a leader is deciding which projects to stop and which ones to continue investing in. For innovation to thrive, you have to have the courage to cut projects that drain resources and don’t contribute to the bigger strategy, even if they seem valuable in the short term. It's about staying focused and ensuring that the right projects — those with real impact — get the attention and support they need. 

Balancing the need for innovation with motivating employees and making difficult calls is one of the hardest parts of my role.

The core of Docusign

As we pioneer change, we’re always mindful of Docusign’s central guiding philosophy: a commitment to building trust and putting customers first.

Today, customers around the world — which include 87% of Fortune 1000 companies, as well as the U.S. Federal Government — rely on Docusign to manage billions of mission-critical agreements daily. Recently, Newsweek recognized us as the “Most Trustworthy Company in America,” and that’s not something we take lightly. We know that trust is earned, and we work hard to ensure our platform remains one of the most secure in the industry.

It is important to get these fundamentals right as we increasingly incorporate AI into our offerings. In present conversations about AI, one of the largest discussions revolves around cybersecurity. Companies must ensure that malicious users are kept away from the technology’s algorithms, and that the confidential information used to train AI is protected. Our security measures go beyond industry standards, with features like two-factor verification, advanced encryption, and real-time monitoring with Docusign Monitor, which alerts clients to any suspicious activity. 

Beyond this industry specific use, I’m optimistic about the wider impact that AI and other such technology can have. There is a deep sense of polarisation around the world despite how people are more connected now than ever before. Technology can alleviate that and improve access to information, education, and to deliver higher productivity growth. All of which can hopefully help create a stronger foundation for market-based societies to thrive.