Ryan Smith is an American businessman, the self-made billionaire Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Qualtrics International Inc. (NASDAQ: XM), a global leader in Experience Management (XM) software. His career is rooted in technology, software development, and entrepreneurial audacity.

Smith dropped out of Brigham Young University (BYU) to pursue his business full-time. His philosophical approach centers on technological excellence, scale efficiency, and long-term commitment to customer/employee experience (pioneering the concept of Experience Management). He co-founded Qualtrics in 2002 with his father, Scott Smith.

• Qualtrics International Inc. (Co-founder & Executive Chairman): The core publicly traded asset, a global leader in Experience Management (XM) software (acquired by SAP for $8 billion in 2019, and later spun off/IPOed in 2021).
• Sports Ownership: He is the Controlling Owner of the Utah Jazz (NBA) (acquired in 2020).
• Academic Note: He dropped out of BYU (reflecting his self-made status).
• Investment Strategy: His philosophy is rooted in long-term investment in SaaS IP and leveraging the massive global growth of enterprise software (specializing in customer feedback/data).

Ryan Smith's strategic genius was his commitment to integrating customer feedback with operations. He co-founded Qualtrics in 2002, initially focusing on survey software for academics. He successfully pivoted the company to Experience Management (XM) (integrating customer, employee, and brand data). The $8 billion sale to SAP in 2019 secured his initial massive fortune.

His public focus shifted to sports ownership in 2020 when he acquired a controlling stake in the Utah Jazz (NBA) for $1.66 billion. He remains Executive Chairman of Qualtrics. His wealth is secured by the colossal liquid gains from the SAP acquisition and the immense, long-term appreciation of the Utah Jazz franchise.

Ryan Smith's social impact is structural, stemming from Qualtrics's role in providing essential feedback and data analysis software for global businesses. His ownership of the Utah Jazz is a major civic asset. His Smith Family Foundation supports various educational and community initiatives (including his commitment to STEM education). His structural contribution is tied to the successful industrialization and scale of the specialized SaaS sector.

His personal philanthropy supports various community and educational initiatives.

Ryan Smith maintains the professional, high-energy style of a technology executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects serious authority and confident disruption, typical of a pioneer in the specialized SaaS sector.

Residing in Provo, Utah, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to technology innovation, sports ownership, and strategic management.