For today's #TechCEO talk, we will discuss more about eBay's current CEO Jamie Iannone, who saw an opportunity to improve the platform during the pandemic.
The tech leader who already has over 20 years of experience in handling consumer-centered firms drove the company to be relevant amid the ongoing healthcare crisis.
Who is Jamie Iannone?
LISBON, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 07: Jamie Iannone, CEO of SamsClub.com & EVP of Membership & Tech, Sam's Club, Walmart, speaks on "The three things every leader should know" at Center Stage of Web Summit in Altice Arena on November 07, 2019 in Lisbon, Portugal. Web Summit is an annual technology conference which brings together a variety of technology companies to discuss the future of industry. This year’s event runs from November 4- 7 and is expected to attract around 70,000 participants.
According to his profile on eBay, Iannone is the current president and CEO of eBay who previously worked as the Walmart COO. He also served as the former CEO of SamsClub.com before he went to eBay in April 2020.
During his tenure at Walmart, he was tasked to oversee the operational side of the company. On the other hand, his role at SamsClub.com was rather different. He worked there as an official who is responsible for the digital transformation of the unit.
In short, Iannone was assigned to improve and execute initiatives that are concerned with operations, product, marketing, technology, and membership.
Apart from that, he also served Barnes & Noble as the Executive Vice President of Digital Products. During this term, he took over the tasks of handling NOOK devices, digital content, software, third-party collaborations, and more.
Furthermore, Jamie served the rest of his terms at Booz Allen Hamilton and Epinions.com.
Iannone excels in the area where he's passionate, especially in the field of cutting-edge technology improvement and marketing.
Regarding his educational background, Jamie finished his Bachelor of Science from Princeton University. He earned his master's degree (Business Administration at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Before that, he acted as one of the board directors of The Children's Place.
To quote, this was Jamie's most unforgettable experience with eBay.
"On eBay, I sold a Hammond B-3 organ that I've owned since I was a teenager to a church. The day it was delivered, the pastor sent me a video of his organist playing it, and I joked with him that it never sounded that good when I played it!"
Related Article: #TechCEO: Meet Philip Jansen of BT Group
eBay Thrives Amid Rising COVID Cases
In another report from CNET, eBay was one of the few companies that saw an increase in shares when the pandemic broke out. According to the article, its shares rose to over 30% last year.
The rise of the e-commerce trend was evidently seen when eBay led by example. Jamie led the company on its campaign to continue its delivery system across the country.
Iannone considered this opportunity as a part of his "multi-year reimagining" of the firm. When he returned to the company in April, eBay shares shot to over 70% as a result.
What Jamie pointed out was how eBay came up with casual shoppers and "power" buyers. He noted that eBay focused on catering to the needs of its various customers. This would mean dedicating their time to serve the "loyalists" instead of sticking to the usual advertising and marketing plan.
Rise on eBay Active Buyers
Meanwhile, Forbes wrote in another article that the number of active buyers for the Santa Clara corporation increased. This even exceeded the buyers in the most recent six (6) quarters.
The active buyers grew to 182 million, an increase of 5% or 8 million. Iannone said that consumer behavior is "rapidly evolving" and as a result, the company should quickly adapt to their needs.
Driven by the pandemic, Jamie treated this as an opportunity to attract more clients to the e-commerce industry. eBay stuck with its real-time and competitive traffic data and product pricing.
Of course, eBay also paid attention to what Gen Z users wanted. As a result, it launched a Dark Mode feature on its mobile app. This addition was highly requested by the younger customers.
For more #TechCEO articles, check out our published stories about Transferwise's Kristo Käärmann and Nvidia's Jensen Huang.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Joseph Henry
