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May 09, 2019

Akeneo Appoints North America VP of Sales and Announces Outstanding Q1 Results

BOSTON, May 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Akeneo, a leading provider of Product Experience Management (PXM) solutions...

BOSTON, May 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Akeneo, a leading provider of Product Experience Management (PXM) solutions for corporate brands and retailers, announced today that it started off the year with record-breaking sales in Q1. On the heels of securing a strategic funding round from Salesforce Ventures, signing on a slew of global brands, and introducing the industry-first AI-powered product data intelligence solution, Akeneo achieved 110 percent year-over-year revenue growth.
To continue and accelerate its growth momentum, today Akeneo also announced the appointment of veteran SaaS sales executive Michael Bender as the company’s North America VP of Sales. Bender, who is known for driving revenue and launching new markets, has more than 15 years of experience leading top-performing sales teams at eCommerce technology companies. In his new role at Akeneo, Bender will be responsible for all aspects of the company’s new business development activities in the North American market, reporting directly to Akeneo’s CEO, Fred de Gombert.

Mike is an eCommerce SaaS sales pro. He has an exceptional track record in exceeding revenue goals, building top-performing sales teams and putting in place rigorous sales enablement processes. As Akeneo continues to expand rapidly in the North American market, I look forward to working with him closely and building a world-class sales force.

said de Gombert.

 

Prior to joining Akeneo, Bender served as VP of Sales at eCommerce acceleration platform Yottaa, where he was instrumental in winning notable accounts, including Carters, Michael Kors, and Party City. He quadrupled the company’s enterprise revenue volume and sales team size in less than two years. Before Yottaa, Bender spent more than four years at mobile marketing technology company Fiksu as the Enterprise Sales Director and later VP of Sales. He single handedly built a 15-person sales organization, closing seven-figure deals with top ten ad agencies and opening regional offices in NYC, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Earlier in his career, Bender also held senior sales leadership positions at Prospectiv and Autotrader.

Im extremely excited to join Akeneo. The company has achieved exceptional growth over the last few years and its PXM suite of products has a unique value proposition in the marketplace. I look forward to working with Fred and the team to help more brands and retailers craft great product experiences and drive their omnichannel and cross-border commerce initiatives.

Bender said.

About Akeneo

Akeneo is the product experience (PX) company and global leader in Product Information Management (PIM), enabling organizations to build and deliver world-class product experiences across every customer touchpoint through a comprehensive PX Strategy. By providing best-of-breed technology and expertise, Akeneos intelligent Product Cloud accelerates growth, reduces time-to-market, and gives organizations the competitive edge needed to convert browsers into buyers.

Leading global brands, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, including Chicos, The Very Group, TaylorMade Golf, Rail Europe, Kering, and more trust Akeneo to scale and customize their omnichannel commerce initiatives. Using Akeneos AI-Centric Product Cloud, companies can activate product experiences in any and all channels that drive an improved customer journey from discovery to purchase, resulting in increased sales, reduced returns, faster time-to-market, and increased team productivity.

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