Bigcommerce Hires Former PayPal Exec As CEO

Brent Bellm, a former executive at vacation rental marketplace HomeAway and payments giant PayPal, has been named the new CEO for Bigcommerce. Bellm succeeds CEO and co-founder Eddie Machaalani, who will stay on as executive chairman of the board.

“In just six years, Bigcommerce has grown from a small, relatively unknown company to a recognized leader and disrupting force in commerce,” Bellm said in a statement. “I have been serving offline and online retailers, with a focus on small- and mid-sized ones, for 20 years. Bigcommerce is the right platform at the right time and place to power these merchants and drive business results.”

Bellm’s appointment comes at a time when the global online retailing software provider is experiencing big growth thanks to the increasing number of merchants looking to build and strengthen their online presence, reported Fortune.

The eCommerce powerhouse supports more than 95,000 stores by offering a securely hosted site for companies moving into the online marketplace, along with customized tools to thrive in it.

“Throughout Brent’s impressive career, a common theme has been his passion for and work with small business owners to provide the resources and technologies that encourage greater success,” Machaalani said in a company release. “Brent shares in Bigcommerce’s vision to democratize commerce for high growth brands that are challenging the giants in their industries. Brent is the right leader to oversee our next stage of growth and ensure we are meeting the needs of today’s merchants and building a premium platform.”

Partnership agreements and unique integrations with industry leaders like PayPal and Alibaba, along with the recent launch of a tailored solution for high-volume merchants, makes this an interesting time for the company to pursue big changes in leadership.

“Brent is a committed and experienced leader who is thoughtful and deliberate in his approach to corporate strategy,” said Lorrie Norrington, former eBay president and current member of the Bigcommerce board of directors. “Many of the strategies he put in place at PayPal were massively successful and are still in place today. Brent brings the operational rigor and know-how that will rapidly scale and accelerate Bigcommerce’s business opportunities.”

While there was no mention of plans to go public in the company’s release, Bellm’s experience serving as HomeAway’s president and chief operating officer while guiding the company through its IPO may prove valuable to the rapidly expanding startup.

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