(Bloomberg) — Amanda Whalen, the former finance head at Walmart Inc.’s international operation, is taking over as chief financial officer at Klaviyo, a marketing-technology company.
Whalen said she was eager to help build a business after five years with the world’s largest retailer. At Walmart, she assisted with the company’s digital revamp and oversaw finance across its international portfolio, which includes growth companies and established retailers.
Klaviyo has thousands of paying users including Unilever and Solo Stove, and now is looking to expand its retail-technology business and grow overseas. It’s also looking to add new clients in industries such as restaurants and hospitality. In addition to overseeing accounting and financial planning, Whalen will work with Chief Executive Officer Andrew Bialecki on long-term expansion plans.
“She’s seen such a breadth of different businesses,” said Bialecki, who co-founded Klaviyo. He said Whalen would also help the company expand with “discipline and smart growth.”
Whalen started at Boston-based Klaviyo on Monday, joining just as Walmart prepares to welcome John Rainey next month as its new CFO.
Klaviyo has raised more than $675 million from investors including Accel and Summit Partners. A funding round last year brought investment from Whale Rock Capital Management, ClearBridge Investments and Counterpoint Global, a unit of Morgan Stanley.
A year ago, Klaviyo said it had a valuation of more than $9 billion, excluding the impact of its latest funding round. That put it well above the $1 billion threshold for “unicorn” startups. Bialecki declined to comment on any potential plans for an initial public offering.
The company’s software is designed to help clients deepen their digital relationships with customers. That means storing data on their purchases, marketing products more effectively with email and text messages, and using machine learning to improve capabilities over time.
“Businesses want to be connecting with their customers digitally, and that is only going to increase,” Whalen said.
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