CEO Insights Magazine

In the rapidly evolving world of technology, effective leadership extends far beyond technical acumen. It requires a unique blend of vision, adaptability, and the ability to empower teams to innovate. Donn Gamboa exemplifies this caliber of leadership as the Co-Founder and CEO of White Cloak Technologies, one of the Philippines’ most prominent software development firms. From humble beginnings, Donn has steered his company through the dynamic challenges of scaling, guiding it to prominence with strategic foresight. With his ability to adapt and continuously refine his approach, he has created a culture of excellence at White Cloak Technologies, propelling the company to achieve ambitious goals and establish itself as a digital powerhouse in the Philippines.

CEO Insights Asia is privileged to interview Donn. Let’s read on. What challenges did White Cloak Technologies face in the early days, and how did you overcome them? In the early days, White Cloak Technologies had no portfolio. Without proven projects under our belt, my fledgling team and I had to accept low-paying or high-risk gigs, often through marketing agencies that took the lion’s share of the profits. We were hungry to prove ourselves. We took on small, unglamorous projects just to gain experience and get client logos on our website. It was a slow, painful crawl, but it pushed us to be creative, and constantly learning.

With no marketing budget and lackluster sales, we used every spare moment to bolster our skills by scouring free online courses, testing new tech stacks, and keeping abreast of emerging trends.

Desperate for an unbiased stage where only skill mattered, I zeroed in on hackathons. White Cloak Technologies entered and swept several prestigious competitions hosted by Microsoft, Temasek, ConsenSys, UnionBank, Globe, and PLDT. These victories thrust our team onto a larger stage. Hackathons gave us priceless exposure. Clients discovered our capabilities without us spending on promotions. We just had to show up and give our best.

How did UnionBank become a major turning point for White Cloak Technologies? UnionBank quickly recognized our potential and awarded us a landmark project with a bold vision to become the Philippines’ top digital bank. At the time, we were just a team of four developers, and I had to juggle multiple roles from iOS developer to project manager, HR, and admin, all at once. 

Within five months, we launched the MVP to widespread acclaim, earning awards and seeing the app's user base skyrocket. UnionBank had a great vision and a set of values that truly put their customers first. All we did was to be their tech enabler and support them every step of the way. The way they treated us as real partners, I felt we owed it to them to deliver our very best. 

With UnionBank’s success, more projects started flowing in, including from prominent conglomerates like Ayala and Robinsons.

How did you handle the challenges of scaling White Cloak Technologies by shifting your leadership style? With an expanding client base came the need for more hands on the deck. I realized I couldn’t continue being the solo coder and leader. I needed to replicate my technical skills through rigorous recruitment and training.

We designed tough coding exams to ensure newcomers met our standards, but finding top talent in IT was challenging. Growing from a four-person team to over 100 was grueling, it required me to shift from hands-on coding to hands-on mentorship.

My CTO, Miguel Fermin, and I personally reviewed candidates’ practical coding tests to ensure every hire met White Cloak Technologies' high bar for quality. As we scaled the company to over 200 employees, we continuously reinvented our screening process to keep producing high-caliber engineers.

Another pivot came with project management. Small teams thrived on a simple Kanban approach, but as White Cloak Technologies ballooned, communication bottlenecks and inefficiencies began to surface. We customized Scrum to fit each client’s pace and quality demands. Adapting our methodologies was the only way to maintain excellence at scale.

Running a software development firm isn’t just about winning projects, it’s about managing workforce fluctuations. Over-hire, and the payroll outstrips incoming deals, while underhire, and you risk losing big opportunities. It’s a constant balancing act. We had to become masters at forecasting client demand while nurturing enough bench strength to seize new projects.

What do you see as the key to White Cloak Technologies' success, and how has your leadership evolved over time? Today, White Cloak Technologies stands as one of the Philippines’ leading software development firms, and much of that success comes from my willingness to adapt my leadership style as the company grew.

Initially, I thought success was about proving myself personally. But I’ve learned that true leadership is about enabling your team, and your clients to achieve bigger, bolder goals. That’s how a startup transforms into an industry force. 

Donn Gamboa, Co-Founder & CEO, White Cloak Technologies​ Donn Gamboa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management Engineering from Ateneo de Manila University. He has received multiple accolades for his visionary leadership, most recently being named Outstanding Transformative Leader of the Year by the prestigious SGV and MAP organizations. His focus on evolving leadership, alongside relentless pursuit of innovation has guided White Cloak Technologies from its humble origins to an enterprise partner for some of the nation’s largest organizations.