For Babak Siavoshy, holding a key post at defense contractor Anduril Industries Inc. is far more than just a job.
“We feel like we have a very virtuous mission—to bring advanced technology to U.S. military and U.S. allies,” Siavoshy said.
In the year since Siavoshy was honored at the Business Journal’s 11th annual General Counsel Awards as the outstanding general counsel of a private company, Anduril has raised more than $1 billion in additional financing, moved into its sprawling new headquarters in Costa Mesa and made further inroads into the military space (see story, page 1).
Forbes magazine estimates the latest fundraising pushes the company’s valuation to $8 billion.
Amid all the changes, is being chief legal officer still the best job he’s ever had?
“Absolutely,” Siavoshy told the Business Journal earlier this month.
The Fountain Valley resident says his team—including legal, security, compliance and M&A—has expanded from five lawyers to nine as the company’s challenges grew more complex.
Siavoshy grew up in Orange County before heading north for college, law school and a job stint in Palo Alto, making his current job a homecoming.
He joined Anduril in June 2018, coming from his post as legal counsel and global data protection officer at Palantir Technologies Inc., (NYSE: PLTR), a $17 billion software company co-founded by Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel.
The Thiel-linked Founders Fund is one of Anduril’s investors.
He says new and repeat investors have seen “the growth they expect from technology startups and high-growth venture-backed startups.”
“It’s really about growth and impact,” Siavoshy said. “That is the market that we were built for. That is the market we’re going to grow into.”
