Daugirdas Jankus became the Chief Executive Officer of Hostinger, one of the fastest-growing web hosting companies in the world, in October 2023. Jankus was only 31 years old when he took the job. He had a bold vision, ten years of experience in sales, marketing, and business development, and a history of driving huge growth. His rise from Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) to CEO of the Lithuanian-born tech unicorn shows how he leads, how curious he is, and how dedicated he is to giving clients the tools they need to succeed with new digital solutions. This article talks about Jankus’s rise to power, his leadership style, and his big plans for Hostinger’s global growth.
From Dreams of Classical Music to Leading in Tech
Daugirdas Jankus’s journey to becoming CEO was anything but normal. In an interview with Unicorns.lt, Jankus said, “To be fair, I wanted to be a classical music singer,” looking back on his early goals. He still loves music and the arts, but his career has taken a different path, one that is based on new ideas and technology. Jankus started his career with jobs in banking, real estate, and even an internship in the Lithuanian Parliament. He has a Master’s degree in International Marketing and Management from ISM University of Management and Economics. These different experiences made him more adaptable and curious, which would later be important traits of his leadership at Hostinger.
In 2017, Jankus joined Hostinger as one of only 70 employees. The company was a new player in the web hosting business at the time. It started out as Hosting Media in Kaunas, Lithuania, in 2004. Over the years, Jankus was a key player in expanding Hostinger’s marketing efforts, building the team to almost 200 professionals and helping the company grow by an amazing 10 times in five years. By 2024, Hostinger had over 3 million customers in 150 countries, making it a global leader. This was thanks to his focus on customer-centered strategies and new marketing campaigns.
A New Chapter as CEO
There was a big change in leadership at Hostinger in 2023. Arnas Stuopelis, who had been CEO for 12 years, became Chairman of the Board. This made it possible for Jankus to take over as CEO. In January 2023, the change started. By June, Jankus was acting CEO, and by October, he was the official CEO. Stuopelis praised Jankus’s “visionary spirit and constant hunger for innovation.” He said that the marketing team he led helped the company make €69.6 million in revenue in 2022, a 64% increase from the previous year.
Jankus took over as CEO of a company with almost 1,000 employees, 11 data centers in Asia, Europe, and the Americas, and a client base that grew from 1 million to 3 million in just over four years. At the heart of Jankus’s strategy is Hostinger’s mission to help entrepreneurs, small businesses, and individual creators succeed online by providing easy-to-use web hosting, AI-powered tools, and user-friendly platforms. He leads by making sure he understands what his clients need, helps his employees grow, and uses the latest technologies, like artificial intelligence (AI).
Radical candor and learning from mistakes are two things I believe in as a leader.
“Radical candor” is the basis for Jankus’s style of leadership. He thinks that as a leader, “you never have the full context,” and you often have to make decisions with at least 50% certainty. He says, “Mistakes are unavoidable.” “However, you learn faster the more mistakes you make.” This way of thinking promotes a culture of trying new things and thinking about what you’ve done, where feeling uncomfortable is seen as a way to move forward.
In an interview with Unicorns.lt, he talked about his ten work principles, which stress ambition, hard work, strategic focus, and taking breaks at the right times. “It’s important to have goals, believe in what you do, work hard, and rest when you’re tired.” You also need to pick your fights carefully. Jankus said, “Eventually, success becomes inevitable.” These values have not only helped him grow as a person, but they have also shaped Hostinger’s culture, creating a lively place where new ideas can flourish.
Using AI and a focus on customers to drive innovation
Hostinger has doubled down on its client-focused approach under Jankus’s leadership by adding AI to its services. The company released the AI Website Builder in 2023. This tool lets people with little technical knowledge make their own websites in just four clicks by generating unique content, picking royalty-free images, and choosing design elements that fit their needs. This tool has had an effect, as about two out of three client websites are now made with it.
Hostinger also added an AI chat assistant in May 2023 that can answer almost half of customer questions in 20 seconds in 50 different languages. This tool gets about 5,000 questions a day and gives personalized product recommendations based on Hostinger’s products. Jankus, a “AI optimist,” thinks these improvements are very important for making it easier for clients, from small businesses to solo entrepreneurs, to have an online presence. He told i2Coalition, “We are definitely AI optimists and think it will be good for both us and humanity.”
Global Goals and Impact on Business
Under Jankus’s leadership, Hostinger has grown in ways other than making new products. The Financial Times’ FT 1000 list of Europe’s fastest-growing companies has named the company for five years in a row. In 2023, the company made €110.2 million, which is 57% more than the previous year. India, Brazil, Indonesia, the United States, and France are some of the most important markets. Emerging markets also have a lot of potential.
Jankus has an impact on the whole internet infrastructure industry. In 2024, he became a member of the i2Coalition’s Board of Directors, which gave internet policy talks a global point of view. He said, “Bringing this feedback from the ‘rest of the world’ to i2Coalition seemed like such a good fit.” He stressed Hostinger’s goal of keeping the internet open and accessible. His position on the board shows how Hostinger is becoming more global and how committed Jankus is to shaping the future of the internet.
A Plan for the Future
Jankus wants to get more people involved with Hostinger and reach more people around the world in the future. He said, “I will work hard to get to know our clients even better. I will keep talking to them, getting their feedback, and working with the team to make products that meet their needs even better.” He also puts a lot of emphasis on employee growth, making sure that Hostinger’s workforce stays empowered and in line with the company’s mission as it grows.
Hostinger’s recent achievements, like having more than 3 million customers and 5 million managed domains, show how much progress Jankus is making. Jankus is making Hostinger a leader in the web hosting industry by focusing on AI-driven innovation, putting customers first, and encouraging people to make bold decisions.
Conclusion: Daugirdas Jankus became CEO of Hostinger at the age of 31. His story is one of ambition, flexibility, and a constant focus on making value. Jankus has always been a leader, from his early days as a marketing leader to his current role as the head of a global tech giant. He has a leadership style that combines radical honesty, a focus on customers, and a belief in technology. Hostinger is giving millions of people the tools they need to use the internet, and Jankus’s ideas and vision will surely shape the company’s next phase of growth, making it a global leader in web hosting.
