ADHD.MBA

Antoine Le Nel’s wisdom (Candy Crush, Revolut)

Antoine Le Nel is a growth leader who made his mark at King (Candy Crush) before becoming a key figure at Revolut. He manages 20-25 remote growth teams and has been instrumental in Revolut’s international expansion.

His leadership style is distinctly data-driven and process-oriented, favoring specialist expertise over generalist approaches.

💭 Decision Making Principles

  • Data > Beliefs: Doesn’t believe in assumptions, follows data
  • Specialist > Generalist: Prefers deep expertise over broad knowledge
  • Speed > Perfection: Values quick iterations over long planning
  • Problem-solving > Presentations: Focuses on fixing issues, not showcasing wins
  • Weekly rhythms: Believes in consistent, frequent check-ins

👥 Management Style

  • Runs very structured weekly meetings
  • Direct and transparent communication
  • Empowers autonomous teams
  • Values remote work for its efficiency

🏎️ Growth: Engine

  • Growth isn’t about one big thing – it’s about many small optimizations working together
  • Think of it like a race car – every tiny improvement adds up to winning
  • Structure: Upper funnel (brand), mid funnel (mixed), lower funnel (performance marketing)
  • Don’t focus on CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) – focus on ROI (return on investment) instead!

🧐 Why ROI is better than CAC?

Focusing on CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) leads teams to optimize for getting the cheapest possible customers.

Focusing on ROI makes teams optimize for getting the most valuable customers – even if they cost more to acquire.

⚡ Growth: What Really Works

  • Speed > Perfection: Make quick decisions, iterate fast
  • Cut failing projects quickly – don’t wait around hoping they’ll improve
  • Run weekly 30-minute meetings with teams (not monthly big presentations)
  • Test everything, but don’t over-rely on A/B testing
  • Keep it simple: Break big problems into smaller, manageable pieces

🤯 Surprising Views

  • Localization is overrated – same creative often works globally
  • Brand building in early startup days is a mistake – focus on product
  • Growth managers shouldn’t be generalists – hire specialists instead
  • Remote work can be better for introverts and meeting efficiency

🎯 Product Philosophy

  • Don’t push for immediate full adoption – let users try one thing at a time
  • Think of products like “snacks” – try one, then maybe another
  • Growth is exponential because you learn more about good customers over time
  • Want to be everywhere – goal is global presence
  • Super fast product development – many independent teams

📋 Best Practices

  • Very structured weekly meetings
  • No random ad-hoc meetings
  • Direct decision making – yes means yes, no means no
  • Full transparency with teams
  • Focus on problem-solving, not presentations

💬 Best Quote

“I have no belief in anything” – on staying objective and following data instead of assumptions

Editor

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