Rippling is trying to serve Deel’s CEO, but bailiffs can’t find him

HR tech startup Rippling is trying to serve Deel CEO Alex Bouaziz with papers as part of a blockbuster lawsuit against its competitor. There’s just one problem: French bailiffs hired by Rippling can’t seem to find Bouaziz, Irish newspaper Business Post reports. April 15 update: Deel’s CEO is in Dubai, TechCrunch has learned, further complicating Ripple’s efforts to serve him.

Rippling sued Deel earlier this year in Ireland alleging the company paid one of its employees to spy on them, according to the lawsuit that includes an affidavit from the alleged spy which reads like a movie. Deel denies all wrongdoing.

Rippling needs to serve Bouaziz papers for the case. But French bailiffs hired by Rippling have been unable to find Bouaziz, who is French, at his listed address in Paris. Rippling may need to apply to serve him via email, the Business Post reports.

Bouaziz is “highly nomadic” but remains “very attached to France,” French magazine Challenges reported. Bouaziz lists his location as Tel Aviv on LinkedIn, but New York on X. 

Deel, Rippling, and Bouaziz didn’t respond to requests for comment. 

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