We caught up with Rahul Saggar, Summize’s Chief Revenue Officer, to discover what he has learnt in the first six months of his role. After coming from a wealth of experience in SaaS models and cyber security, Rahul joined Summize and welcomed a new world of Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM).
Read on to Discover what Rahul has learnt during his first six months, and what he’s most looking forward to for Summize, himself and the CLM industry over the next six months and beyond.
So Rahul, after six months at Summize, how would you sum up your experience so far?
First and foremost, transitioning from end-user computing cyber security to the fast-paced and growing world of legal tech has been a revelation. It’s not just been an eye-opener; it’s been a complete game-changer for me.
The CLM market and what we do to enable Legal Teams to be more proactive and to accelerate the contract review process has really opened my eyes to ask the question – what were we doing before Summize?! These first six months have been incredibly insightful as I navigated an industry that was entirely new to me.
Were you surprised by the speed at which the legal tech space is evolving, particularly here at Summize?
Absolutely! Having spent years selling technology to CISOs, InfoSec and end user computing, I was familiar with tech’s impact across various departments but I often found that when it came to legal, there was always a bottleneck.
The processes were often slow and too archaic. For years, no one in those businesses took the initiative to say, "We need better tech to automate this." As the businesses grew, I found that the legal departments didn’t evolve at the same pace, which led to inefficiencies and the many bottlenecks my clients faced.
What we’re doing at Summize is fundamentally changing that. We’re enabling Legal Teams to manage contracts and apply changes with a speed and efficiency they’ve never had before.
Why do you think Legal Teams are now so eager to adopt tech? Is it just the right time, or is there a specific catalyst driving this change?
I believe it’s a combination of factors. There’s a growing awareness among CFOs, CEOs, and other C-level executives about the benefits of CLM. They see the potential in end-to-end contract management, and they can now see how AI can streamline their operations. AI is obviously on the increase in terms of adoption, so why not bring the innovative technology to their contract processes too?
This realisation has brought CLM to the forefront of their agendas, not just as a nice-to-have but as a crucial element for improving efficiency and revenue.
Let's discuss the clients you've worked with during your first six months. What have you learnt from them?
One of my main goals when I joined was to speak with as many clients as possible to understand their pain points and to see their reactions to our solutions.
The response has been overwhelmingly positive!
In many cases, our CLM software has been revolutionary for them, helping them involve more departments and integrate contract processes better across their business. What has been most eye-opening for me is gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges they face, and how easily we can solve their challenges with Summize’s digital contracting solution.
Are there any of our clients’ sectors that surprised you?
Surprisingly, we’ve seen CLM interest from a broad spectrum of industries. We’re not dominant in just one; instead, we’re strong across various sectors, from sports, to FinTech, to pharmaceuticals, to renewable energy.
What these sectors share is a high volume of contracts and a need for speed and accuracy in legal processes. This diversity has been fascinating to witness, and it aligns with our growth trajectory.
What have you noticed about why Summize wins against other CLMs?
Instead of making legal teams and business users learn a whole new system and a new way of working, Summize integrates into the tools our clients have been working with for years; Gmail, Outlook, Word, Salesforce etc.
Our clients can carry on working with their familiar tools, while integrating Summize’s digital contracting functionality as an embedded experience. This means the CLM you invest in is much more likely to be adopted across the whole organisation.
And for a lawyer, why choose to redline a contract using a completely new editor, when you can carry on redlining your contract in Word, but with Summize’s integrated AI-assistant add-on to automate and speed-up the process?
Looking ahead, what are you most excited about in the next six months?
I’m really looking forward to the upcoming events. They’ve been instrumental in our success, allowing us to meet and engage with customers and prospects.
I’m particularly excited about ACC Nashville and the various legal tech events in the UK. I’m also eager to continue building relationships with our customers, deepening their understanding of what we do, and ensuring they see the full benefits of our solutions.
What can the market expect from Summize over the next six months?
The next year is all about growth, both for us and our customers. My focus is to ensure we continue to scale while maintaining exceptional support for our existing customers. We want to keep them happy and coming back for more, while also attracting new business.
With our well-structured teams - from sales to customer success to marketing - I’m very confident we can keep up with demand and continue our trajectory.
Finally, what are you most proud of during your first six months?
I’m proud of how quickly we’ve adapted and how we’re positioning ourselves in the market. We’re not just another tech vendor; we’re a partner in our clients’ growth. This approach, rooted in the vision of our founders and leadership, is what sets us apart. And I’m excited to continue building on that foundation.
