Guilherme Benchimol discusses early career dismissal at B55 Conference

Guilherme Benchimol, the founder of XP, stated during the B55 Conference in São Paulo that he would have made the same decision to fire himself if he had been in his former boss's position in the early 2000s.

Speaking at the event, which was organized by the non-profit Instituto B55, Benchimol explained that his dismissal was due to a profile incompatibility with the rigid, command-oriented culture of his previous employer rather than a lack of competence. He described himself as a ‘troublemaker’ at the time because he was overly inquisitive and did not fit the established environment.

Benzimol noted that this experience shaped his leadership philosophy at XP, emphasizing that meritocracy must include the ability to let go of individuals who do not align with the organizational culture. He argued that performance should be evaluated based on two dimensions: results and behavior/culture.