BlackLine is a cloud-based software platform designed to automate and streamline financial and accounting processes for organizations. Pulse 2.0 interviewed BlackLine Chief Technology Officer Jeremy Ung to gain a deeper understanding of the company.
Jeremy Ung’s Background
Could you tell me more about your background? Ung said:
“My background has always centered around building scalable, data-driven systems. I’ve worked at several enterprise companies, including AWS and Microsoft, where I led teams focused on cloud infrastructure and AI-driven platform engineering. What drew me to BlackLine was the opportunity to apply that kind of innovation to one of the most complex and mission-critical areas in the enterprise: finance. Today, I’m focused on helping CFOs and their teams transform how they operate, using AI, automation, and real-time data in ways that create real business value.”
“As CTO, I’m responsible for setting and executing BlackLine’s technology strategy. This includes everything from how we build and scale our platform to how we bring AI into the hands of our customers. A big part of my role is connecting the dots between what our customers are experiencing in the field and what our engineers are building. I spend a lot of time with both groups. That way, we’re building mission-critical software that is solving real problems for finance teams.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Ung reflected:
“One moment that really stands out is the launch of Studio360. It was more than just a product rollout; it was the culmination of a mindset shift in how we support finance teams. We had been hearing the same story over and over again from our customers: fragmented data, disconnected workflows, and an inability to move quickly. Studio360 is our response to that. It’s a platform built to unify financial data and embed intelligence directly into the tools finance leaders rely on every day.”
“What made that launch so meaningful was the level of collaboration it took to get there. We had product managers, engineers, customer success leaders, and even our partners like Snowflake all contributing. It was a cultural moment for us. It’s one where everyone rallied around a common goal and delivered something that we knew would be transformational for the Office of the CFO. For me, it was a real example of what happens when technology and customer experience evolve together.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Ung explained:
“Blackline is a digital transformation partner to the Office of the CFO. We help enterprises streamline, automate, and optimize their financial reporting and forecasting. Our platform is built around core solution pillars: Financial Close, Invoice-to-Cash, Consolidation and Financial Analytics, and Intercompany Financial Management. These are areas where finance teams deal with high volumes of transactions, tight deadlines, and a constant demand for accuracy. That’s exactly where AI orchestration can make the biggest difference.”
“At the center of everything is Studio360, which integrates data from across systems, automates workflows, and provides real-time visibility through AI-powered insights. With features like Journals Batching, finance teams can group and review transactions more efficiently, minimizing the risk of errors. Our AI-powered Journal Risk Analyzer, a solution born directly from a need for our customer to analyze increasing volumes of journal entry postings, uses gen AI to provide key trends, insights, and anomaly detection. Our Cash Management interface has been redesigned to be more intuitive, with persona-driven workflows that help teams navigate their tasks with clarity and speed.”
“We’re not just building software. We’re a collaborative partner for our customers, with proven success in elevating finance teams to operate with greater confidence.”
Challenges Faced
Have you faced any challenges in your sector of work recently? Ung acknowledged:
“Absolutely. One of the biggest challenges is fragmentation. Most finance teams are dealing with multiple ERPs, scattered data sources, and manual processes. Even with APIs, integration isn’t always straightforward. We tackled that head-on by partnering with Snowflake and building Studio360 to unify data across systems. That’s allowed us to enable AI-powered use cases like anomaly detection and predictive insights at scale, all while maintaining governance and control. Another major challenge the industry is facing is ensuring secure and accurate data. With 77% of businesses suffering an AI-related data breach last year, the risks of moving fast without safeguards have never been clearer. At BlackLine, we prioritize accuracy and security, from data to decision so AI and automation you leverage provide you with trusted insights and reliable information.”
Evolution Of The Company’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Ung noted:
“BlackLine started with a mission to modernize the financial close process. Since then, we’ve become a true enterprise platform. We’re one that’s deeply integrated, AI-driven, and purpose-built for the Office of the CFO, reaching over 4,400 customers across more than 130 countries. What’s exciting now is how fast we’re evolving. We’ve gone from rule-based automation to predictive and now agentic AI, systems that don’t just flag issues, but help resolve them on their own.”
“And it’s not just conceptual, the impact is measurable. According to Nucleus Research:
- Our customers have seen a 70% reduction in days to close,
- 50% less time spent on manual work,
- 2.6x more work completed without increasing headcount,
- 96% reduction in intercompany imbalances, and
- An ROI of $2.77 for every dollar invested.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Ung cited:
“At BlackLine, we’re taking a very intentional approach to how we build and scale AI. We’re not just automating for the sake of automation, but to deliver real, trusted outcomes for finance and accounting teams. We now have over 10 AI-powered capabilities live on the platform, and the adoption speaks for itself.”
“For example, our Variance Comment Automation is being used by over 30% of eligible customers, and tools like the Financial Statement Summarizer are already helping teams surface insights earlier in the close process, saving hours, improving accuracy, and reducing last-minute fire drills.”
“We’re also seeing real momentum in accounts receivable, where our Machine Learning Payment Forecast is boosting forecast accuracy by up to 40%, giving teams a clearer view of cash flow and risk. And with capabilities like Journal Risk Analyzer, we’re leveraging AI to flag anomalies across journal entries, helping organizations stay compliant and audit-ready without the manual overhead.”
Customer Success Stories
When asking Ung about customer success stories, he highlighted:
“There are quite a few, but one that stands out is a cloud-focused customer who told us that our variance automation feature cut their prep time in half, from four days to two. Another mentioned saving hours each month thanks to our Document Summarizer, which eliminates repetitive steps in their monthly workflows. These are the kinds of wins that truly change how people work.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Ung affirmed:
“We’re known for getting our customers’ future ready with our proven and achievable approach to financial management. What really differentiates us is:
- We have a top-notch community of customers and partners dedicated to improving the Office of the CFO.
- We embed AI in ways that are explainable, secure, and highly specific to finance. We also help companies with products that are known for agility, scalability, and data integrity.
- We lead with empathy and are truly collaborators in reaching digital transformation. We take the time to understand our customers’ challenges at a very detailed level and build solutions that truly reflect those realities.
Our value is delivered immediately and then compounded over time for large B2C and B2B companies, including names like Coca-Cola, eBay, and SiriusXM. That’s what sets us apart.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future goals? Ung emphasized:
“Our long-term goal is to bring autonomous finance to every enterprise. That means freeing up finance teams from routine, manual tasks and enabling them to focus on strategy, not spreadsheets. We’ll continue building agentic AI experiences, investing in predictive intelligence and natural language explorations to meaningfully expand our integrations.”
“Our mission is to continue developing industry-specific solutions that meet CFOs where they are and take them where they want to go.”
