Groupon names interim chief in management shakeup

 

Groupon announced Rich Williams is no longer serving as CEO and Aaron Cooper, Groupon’s President of North America, was appointed interim CEO by the board of directors. COO Steve Krenzer is also no longer serving. Williams and Krenzer will continue as employees in an unspecified role.

“The entire Board of Directors is grateful to Rich and Steve for their service,” said Eric Lefkofsky, chairman. “Aaron headed our North America business and is well-positioned to take on the CEO role at Groupon, as we conduct a full process to install a permanent successor. We have a deep bench of senior talent and the team is intensely focused on executing against our strategy during this unprecedented moment in time.”

Cooper has held multiple senior leadership positions across his 10-year Groupon career. He was the company’s first chief marketing officer and also ran the Travel and Goods businesses before assuming his current role. Prior to joining Groupon, he held a variety of marketing and leadership positions at Orbitz and optionsXpress as well as consulting roles at AEG Partners, AOL and Price Waterhouse Management Consultants.

“Having spent 10 years with Groupon, I have seen the company develop from a small email-based platform into what we believe will be the leading online destination for experiences,” Cooper said. “The disruption created by the global pandemic, however, is significant, and our immediate goal is to help millions of Groupon merchants, customers and employees navigate the massive challenges they face. We have a strong team in place that is in constant communication with our community, working on opportunities to support them in new ways during these uncertain times, even as we continue to focus on strengthening Groupon’s leadership position.”

The Board formed a committee to lead the search for a permanent CEO and Cooper is expected to participate.