Airbnb’s Eva Ross joins Sendle as CMO, replacing co-founder Craig Davis
Parcel delivery service Sendle has appointed former Airbnb marketing operations, strategy and strategy chief Eva Ross as CMO.
Ross replaces co-founder Craig Davis who is stepping back from the business to focus on entrepreneur programs.
Eva Ross takes over as Sendle’s CMO as co-founder Craig Davis steps away from the business
“I will remain in the business as an advisor on the inside and an evangelist on the outside,” Davis told Mumbrella, adding that he will not be taking a board position despite remaining a shareholder.
“There are two things I am particularly proud of. The first is the product and customer experience we’ve created,” Davis said of his time with the company which he co-founded with James Moody in 2015.
“We’ve built a solution to a genuine problem and our customers appreciate it, referring their family and friends with enthusiasm. That kind of advocacy is amazing.
“The second is about the team we’ve assembled and the culture we’ve created in the company. We’re purpose and values driven and we’ve attracted extraordinary talent who support each other and collaborate brilliantly. It’s part of Sendle’s ‘secret sauce’ and it means we can attract someone like Eva to come back to Australia and take the CMO role.”
Ross joins Sendle as Chief Marketing Officer following six years at Airbnb, having most recently headed up its Asia Pacific marketing operations and strategy.
When asked how Ross’ approach may differ from his, Davis pointed out the company was at a different stage of its growth: “My approach to heading up Sendle’s marketing has no doubt been influenced by the fact that it is the business I helped co-found. Especially in the early founding days, marketing decisions could be really tough because they were decisions affecting how healthy and strong my baby would grow up to be.
“Today, Sendle is no longer a three man band; we have tens of thousands of small business customers and my approach to marketing has really revolved around listening to user feedback and building word of mouth and customer advocacy.
“Eva joins the company with a wealth of experience in startup hypergrowth, most recently heading up Airbnb’s APAC marketing operations. She is a creative at heart, she’s passionate about small businesses and I’m excited to see how she will apply these traits as Sendle’s marketing lead.”
Ross said she was attracted to the company by its small business focus, saying: “Sendle’s unique business model has brought integrity and humanity to the parcel industry. Its fast expansion in Australia is proof that it ‘gets’ what small business owners need to thrive.
“Growing a community of micro-entrepreneurs at Airbnb equipped me with an understanding of the challenges small businesses face and the support they need to carry out industry changing work.
“Seeing what Craig and the team have achieved in three short years made my decision to join Sendle a very easy one. We are about to enter a period of unprecedented growth and I can’t wait to champion small business, a community that bustles with creativity and where the best ideas win,” said Eva.
James Chin Moody, CEO and co-founder, Sendle, said Ross’ appointment places Sendle’s marketing in expert hands as the company continues to expand its national and international services.
“Craig and I co-founded the business three short years ago with a big idea. He remains a key part of our team and we support his decision to build a stronger, healthier business community for Australia as a whole.
“Eva’s entrepreneurial spirit, expertise in navigating startups through fast growth periods, and her deep knowledge of domestic and international markets will be invaluable as we continue to expand Sendle in Australia and overseas.” said James.
Ross is Sendle’s most recent hire, which have recently included Apurva Chiranewala, head of growth and former Head of Shipping at eBay Australia, and Helen Souness, on Sendle’s board of directors and former managing director of Etsy Australia.
