Henry Ward is the CEO and co-founder of Carta, the platform that began as a cap table tool and has since evolved into what Henry describes as the ERP for private markets.

His path to building private market infrastructure is a masterclass in knowing when to pivot and when to double down.

Given his product-led approach, I had to dig into Carta’s distinct chapters. Henry shares how he thinks about recognizing inflection points, the aha moment behind the ERP thesis, and what it actually takes to lead a company through multiple reinventions without losing steam.

From there, we turn to Carta’s three-layer network spanning companies, funds, and allocators, the thinking behind its latest acquisitions and how Henry balances build versus buy in a market that is accelerating.

He also shares how AI is reshaping product development at Carta and who he thinks wins and loses in the AI-driven SaaS disruption ahead.

For operators and allocators alike, Henry offers a sharp perspective on where private market tech is maturing, where the real disruption is still to come, and how leadership style shapes hiring, culture, and outcomes at scale.

Learn More

Henry Ward, CEO – Carta (EP.73)