Didier Elzinga
Founder (former CEO; CEO transition reported 2026 to Caroline Rawlinson), Culture Amp
Didier Elzinga is an Australian technology entrepreneur, founder and long-time CEO of Culture Amp, the employee-experience and people-analytics platform. Before founding Culture Amp he was CEO of the Hollywood visual-effects house Rising Sun Pictures and founder of Rising Sun Research, a Technical Academy Award winner.
Fast facts
| Role | Founder (former CEO; CEO transition reported 2026 to Caroline Rawlinson) |
|---|---|
| Company | Culture Amp |
| Sector | HR technology / employee-experience SaaS |
| Headquarters | VIC |
| In role since | 2011 |
| Education | University of Adelaide (Bachelor's degree combining computer science and philosophy) |
Background
Former CEO of Rising Sun Pictures and founder of Rising Sun Research (Technical Academy Award winner); founded Culture Amp in 2011; 2023 Pearcey Victorian Entrepreneur Award
Career timeline
- 2000sRose to become CEO of Adelaide visual-effects company Rising Sun Pictures at age 26
- 2009Met Atlassian founders at the EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards, inspiring him to start a new venture
- 2011Founded Culture Amp in Melbourne (launched 2011)
- 2023Received the Pearcey Victorian Entrepreneur Award
Notable
- Founded Rising Sun Research, whose work won a Technical Academy Award
- Was named CEO of visual-effects company Rising Sun Pictures at just 26 years old
- Founded Culture Amp, which grew into an Australian unicorn valued at more than US$2 billion
- Credits Atlassian founders Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar with inspiring him to start Culture Amp
- A vocal advocate for 'culture first' company building
Frequently asked questions
What is Didier Elzinga known for?
He founded Culture Amp, an employee-experience and people-analytics platform, and previously led the visual-effects company Rising Sun Pictures.
What did Didier Elzinga do before Culture Amp?
He was CEO of Rising Sun Pictures and founder of Rising Sun Research, which won a Technical Academy Award.
When was Culture Amp founded?
Culture Amp was founded in Melbourne around 2011.
Public profiles
Sources
- https://www.cultureamp.com/contributors/didier-elzinga
- https://www.clay.com/dossier/culture-amp-ceo
- https://www.forbes.com.au/covers/magazine/how-didier-elzinga-built-culture-amp-into-a-2-billion-powerhouse/
- https://itwire.com/it-industry-news/strategy/didier-elzinga,-founder-and-ceo-of-culture-amp-receives-the-2023-pearcey-victorian-entrepreneur-award.html
Last verified 2026-07-13. Professionally-public, sourced information only.