E-commerce giant Shopify is undergoing significant leadership changes as General Counsel Jess Hertz steps into the role of Chief Operating Officer. This transition follows the departure of Chief Revenue Officer Bobby Morrison, marking another shift in the company's executive team. Hertz, previously the company's top lawyer, brings a wealth of experience from both public service and the tech sector to her new operational responsibilities.
Key Takeaways
- Jess Hertz, formerly General Counsel, has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer.
- Bobby Morrison, Chief Revenue Officer, has announced his departure from Shopify.
- These changes follow the recent exit of former COO Kaz Nejatian.
Jess Hertz Steps Into COO Role
Jess Hertz's promotion to Chief Operating Officer marks a significant move for the e-commerce platform. Hertz, who has been Shopify's General Counsel since 2021, is recognized for her deep understanding of the company's operations and her experience in building scalable systems across legal, talent, and other departments. Her background includes roles in the public sector, having served as a staff secretary in the White House and as principal deputy counsel to then-Vice President Joe Biden. She also held positions at Meta Platforms Inc. before joining Shopify. Hertz expressed her enthusiasm for the new role, outlining her operational philosophy focused on making work visible, shortening feedback loops, and owning outcomes end-to-end.
Chief Revenue Officer Bobby Morrison Departs
Bobby Morrison has announced his departure as Shopify's Chief Revenue Officer after three and a half years with the company. Morrison described his tenure at Shopify as highly impactful and fulfilling, highlighting his contributions to turning the company's cash flow positive and significantly increasing its market capitalization. He previously held similar roles at Intuit and spent nearly two decades at Verizon. Morrison expressed gratitude for his time at Shopify and praised CEO Tobi Lütke's leadership.
Broader Executive Team Changes
These executive shifts occur in the wake of former COO Kaz Nejatian's departure last month to lead real estate tech firm Opendoor. Shopify has stated that these changes are part of a broader restructuring of its commercial organization. The company continues to focus on innovation, recently announcing a partnership with OpenAI to integrate its merchants' products into ChatGPT's new shopping feature, underscoring a commitment to leveraging artificial intelligence across its operations and merchant services.
Sources
- Shopify General Counsel to Take Over COO Role, Revenue Chief Departs — The Information, The Information.
- Shopify Chief Revenue Officer Bobby Morrison announces departure, TipRanks.
- Shopify promotes Jess Hertz to COO as chief revenue officer departs, BetaKit.
- Ex-White House Lawyer Who's Been Shopify's GC Since 2021 Promoted to COO, Law.com.
- Shopify continues to change top brass, announcing new COO as review officer departs, Yahoo.
