Samir Bodas, the Bellevue entrepreneur who co-founded contract-intelligence company Icertis and steered it for years, has died at 61 after a fight with cancer. He had shifted into an executive-chair role last year, stepping back from day-to-day responsibilities to focus on his health, and the news is hitting the Pacific Northwest enterprise software scene hard.
In a statement, Icertis said Bodas died "following a courageous battle with cancer" and extended condolences to his family and colleagues. The company credited his belief that contracts could be used as a strategic asset with helping shape Icertis into a category-defining platform.
Built Icertis Into A Contract-Intelligence Leader
Bodas co-founded Icertis in 2009 with Monish Darda and spent 16 years as CEO before transitioning roles, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal. Under his leadership, the company raised multiple funding rounds, was reportedly valued as high as $5 billion in 2021, and approached roughly $350 million in annual recurring revenue.
Local Tech Community Remembers Him
Prominent figures across the region have been sharing stories about Bodas and his blend of intensity and joy as a founder. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, in comments reported by GeekWire, said, "I genuinely loved every moment I spent with him," while investors and former colleagues pointed to his role in scaling Icertis and backing Major League Cricket ventures in the area.
Stepped Back To Focus On Health
Last August, Bodas moved into the executive-chair position and Anand Subbaraman became CEO, a transition detailed in a company announcement archived by BusinessWire. At the time, Bodas said he intended to focus on his health, a statement the company echoed in its announcement of his death.
Colleagues recall that Bodas anchored Icertis in a values-first framework known as FORTE, which stands for Fairness, Openness, Respect, Teamwork, and Execution, and introduced internal practices such as the "Four Rings of Responsibility" during the pandemic. In its statement, Icertis said it intends to carry forward the principles it championed as the company enters its next chapter under Subbaraman's leadership.
