Brian Ro, SPHR

People Leader | Total Rewards Expert | BQ Marathoner

San Francisco, California, United States

About

Results-driven Total Rewards and People Operations executive with over 20 years’ experience developing innovative people strategies and scaling high-growth global companies. Business-minded builder who believes companies need to differentiate to win talent and be empathetic towards their employees. Successfully launched Total Rewards program at five different organizations. Expertly design, improve, and implement total rewards plans that increase ease and efficiency and attract and retain employees. Partner with executive management and corporate departments/teams on complex/critical projects while handling multiple high-profile projects simultaneously. Areas of Expertise: Compensation | Benefits | Equity Management | Compensation Committees | Performance Management | HRIS | HR Analytics | People Operations | Global Expansion | Job Architecture | Recruiting | Change Management | Budget Oversight & Controls | Cost Savings | Startups | IPO Readiness

Experience

  • Head of Total Rewards at Gusto
    Jan 2026 - Present · 6 mos

  • Total Rewards Consultant, Wailea Consulting at Self-employed
    2023 - Present · 3 yrs 6 mos

    HR consultant and start-up advisor with broad range of HR experience, with strong emphasis in Total Rewards and People Operations. Extensive experience building Total Rewards and People Operations from scratch at high growth tech companies. Strong people leadership with proven ability to assemble high performing teams and manage complex global projects that can scale. Specialties include: • Compensation philosophy and design, including base salary, bonus, incentive pay, and equity • Executive compensation • Equity plan design and administration • Performance management cycle design and administration • Employee benefits design and administration • Paid time off and parental leave management • HRIS implementation and management • People software roadmap and integration • Onboarding and offboarding processes • Employee communications, training, and change management • Forecasting, budgeting, and financial analysis • Mergers & acquisitions, due diligence, and integration

  • Advisor at PeopleTech Partners
    2020 - Present · 6 yrs 6 mos

    PeopleTech Partners is an early stage advisory and investment group that leverages the insights of current People Leaders operating in top tier businesses to accelerate the growth of companies in our portfolio. Our thesis is simple: We believe that it’s critical for founders to have key partners that work in the companies their products serve. If founding teams have the right partners early enough, their product trajectory accelerates, and their businesses thrive.

  • Senior Director, Total Rewards at ThoughtSpot
    2023 - 2025 · 2 yrs

    Global head of Total Rewards.

  • VP, Head of People at Better
    2022 - 2022 · Less than a year

    Promoted from VP, Head of Total Rewards to VP, Head of People.