Sumit Johar of BlackLine Receives the 2025 BayAreaCIO ORBIE Award for Excellence in Leadership

Celebrating Excellence in Tech Leadership: Sumit Johar Honored

In an exciting announcement made on October 1, 2025, BlackLine, Inc. (Nasdaq: BL) has revealed that its Chief Information Officer, Sumit Johar, has been awarded the esteemed 2025 BayAreaCIO ORBIE® Award in the Large Corporate category. This prestigious accolade celebrates CIOs who have exemplified outstanding technology leadership, showcasing significant management effectiveness and impactful contributions through technology innovations.

The award ceremony took place on September 26 in San Jose and served as a platform to recognize technological leaders within the industry. As a notable player in the tech landscape, the BayAreaCIO ORBIE Awards are considered the zenith of accolades for technology executives in the United States. Sumit Johar's recognition was met with fanfare from BlackLine's management, including CEO Owen Ryan, who expressed immense pride in Johar's achievement, applauding his visionary approach that fuels the company’s innovation.

Under Johar's leadership, BlackLine has made significant strides in scaling its IT operations while cultivating a company-wide 'Automation First' culture. This is particularly crucial for the success of BlackLine's unified Studio360 platform and the trusted AI tool, Verity. Johar's role within BlackLine extends beyond traditional CIO responsibilities; he oversees the global IT operations, Information Security, and AI strategy, all pivotal to driving digital transformation within the company.

Johar's innovative philosophy, termed 'Customer Zero,' allows for internal utilization of BlackLine's technologies, fostering a closer collaboration with the company's product development team led by CTO Jeremy Ung. By integrating BlackLine’s technological solutions, this initiative enhances product-market fit and operational excellence at an enterprise scale.