Early Life
David Arthur Duffield was born on September 21, 1940, in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey. He graduated from Ridgewood High School in 1958. Duffield earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and an MBA from Cornell University.
Rise to Success
Duffield began his career at IBM. In 1987, at age 47, he co-founded PeopleSoft, which became the second-largest application software company globally before its acquisition by Oracle in 2005. In 2005, he co-founded Workday, which specializes in cloud-based applications for human capital and financial management. He stepped down as chairman of Workday in 2021.
Key Business Strategies
Duffield is known for his focus on building user-friendly enterprise software and creating strong company cultures that prioritize employees. He emphasized customer service and innovation. He also has a unique approach to leadership, being described as a "foot-on-the-gas" type of leader. Duffield has founded six companies, which has led to his success in the tech industry.
Philanthropy
David Duffield is dedicated to philanthropy, primarily through the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation and Maddie's Fund. He has donated over $345 million to animal welfare causes. His donations to Cornell University total over $145 million. The Duffields’ also established the Liberty Dogs, a 27-acre service dog training campus in Reno, Nevada, that will match and train disabled military veterans and canine companions. The Duffields have pledged $100 million to fund an expansion of Duffield Hall and a renovation of the adjacent Phillips Hall, home to the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.