Shopify, Canada’s leading e-commerce platform, has announced notable executive changes, appointing Jess Hertz as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and elevating Jean Niehaus to General Counsel, following a wave of C-suite reorganizations over recent months.
Key Takeaways
- Jess Hertz promoted to COO after serving as General Counsel since 2021
- Jean Niehaus steps up as new General Counsel
- Chief Revenue Officer Bobby Morrison departs after three years
- Follows recent exit of former COO Kaz Nejatian
- Company intensifies AI integration with OpenAI partnership
Jess Hertz: From Legal Counsel to Chief Operating Officer
Jess Hertz’s promotion marks a strategic move for Shopify. Hertz, who joined Shopify in 2021 as General Counsel, brings a wealth of experience from both government and the technology sector. Her past roles include serving as White House staff secretary and legal counsel during the Biden-Harris transition, and previously holding positions at Meta (formerly Facebook).
Hertz has outlined her approach as COO to focus on “making work visible, shortening feedback loops, delivering in smaller increments, and owning outcomes end-to-end”—a philosophy already earning praise from Shopify leadership for systematizing and modernizing company operations.
Jean Niehaus Steps In as General Counsel
Shopify has appointed Jean Niehaus, another Meta alumni, to fill the General Counsel role vacated by Hertz. Niehaus, who joined Shopify in 2022, becomes the latest in a series of former Facebook legal professionals assuming key posts as Shopify strengthens its executive bench.
Bobby Morrison Departs as Chief Revenue Officer
The company’s Chief Revenue Officer, Bobby Morrison, is stepping down after three years. Morrison previously held revenue leadership positions at Intuit and Verizon, contributing to significant growth at Shopify, including helping the company turn negative cash flow into eight consecutive quarters of positive free cash flow. Morrison’s tenure was marked by a quintupled market capitalization and the expansion of commercial operations.
Leadership Turnover and Strategic Direction
These changes follow the departure of COO Kaz Nejatian last month, who left to become CEO of Opendoor Technologies. Nejatian’s move triggered an ongoing transition in Shopify’s top ranks as the company restructures its commercial organization.
Strategic Focus on AI and Commerce Innovation
Under CEO Tobi Lütke, Shopify continues to double down on technology and AI innovation. The recently announced partnership with OpenAI will integrate Shopify merchants’ products into ChatGPT’s shopping features—a move aiming to streamline e-commerce for over a million merchants globally. AI is now described as a “fundamental expectation” across all teams at Shopify.
Shopify’s Ongoing Transformation
Founded in 2006 and now Canada’s largest company by market capitalization, Shopify’s current transformation underscores its commitment to scaling operations, driving technological adoption, and supporting merchants through leadership and organizational agility.
