iNDICA NEWS BUREAU –
American company Groupon known for its online coupon site will have its first Indian-American Chief Executive Officer(CEO) on December 10.
Kedar Deshpande, who will be the new CEO, has also been appointed to the Groupon Board of Directors. Aaron Cooper, the interim CEO, will step down and ensure a smooth transition.
“Groupon is at a pivotal moment in its journey to become the destination for local, and I am honored to take on this leadership role, Deshpande on joining Groupon said through a press note. “Local experiences create memories and forge new connections that can last a lifetime, and as an at-scale local experiences marketplace, Groupon is very well-positioned to grow by connecting more and more consumers to local merchants around the world.”
Adding further he said, “The company has spent the last 18 months building a strong foundation for growth and I am excited to work alongside the Groupon team and the Board to drive progress and create value for all of our stakeholders.”
Kedar, 42, has spent the last 10 years at Zappos in roles of escalating responsibility, culminating with his appointment as CEO. He held a number of other senior leadership positions across marketing, product, tech and service functions, including being the COO. Before Zappos, Kedar was a software engineer for General Electric. He completed his graduation at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University in India and received his MS in Computer Engineering from the University of Nevada Reno.
“Throughout the Board’s search process, our goal was to identify a leader who could help accelerate Groupon’s progress to become the go-to destination for local, and we are excited to welcome Kedar as Groupon’s next CEO,” said Ted Leonsis, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Kedar has a strong track record of driving growth and operational excellence and brings significant e-commerce leadership experience to Groupon. We believe these characteristics, coupled with his passion for people and culture, will allow Kedar to successfully lead Groupon into its next chapter of growth.”
