New CTO Verdian, who most recently served as vice-president of engineering at American Express, will also look to expand the engineering team at Glovo from 300 engineers in Barcelona and Warsaw, to over 500 by the end of 2021.
Verdian has spent over a decade holding senior technology positions at established brands, including director of technology at Hotels.com, and senior director of technology at Expedia Group.
In driving Glovo’s tech strategy, the new appointment will look to strengthen the user experience of the platform, to provide improved service to couriers, partners and customers.
The arrival of Verdian comes as Glovo focuses on its goal to build the most innovative hub in southern Europe, and hiring the best possible talent globally.
The company, which was formed in 2015, also recently established its Q-Commerce division, in an aim to deliver “everything” within cities in thirty minutes or less, through its network of dark hubs.
From here, Glovo aims to have 100 dark stores in place by the end of the year, which requires dedicated investment in the company’s tech infrastructure.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Glovo has had to meet increasing demand for next-day deliveries, and has been looking to strengthen user experience with the aid of AI and machine learning capabilities.
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“I’m excited to be a part of Glovo’s ambitious journey, leading the company’s tech strategy and scaling the team with some of the world’s best tech talent,” said new Glovo CTO Verdian.
“This is set to be a monumental year for the company and with the increased focus on Q-Commerce and dark store delivery, we’ll see Glovo take its engineering capabilities to the next level.
“The past year has seen a clear shift in consumer expectations and demand when it comes to how and when they want products and services.
“I’m committed to Glovo’s vision to create the best tech hub in southern Europe and bring the most convenient, fastest service for the user receiving whatever they want in a matter of minutes.”
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Oscar Pierre, CEO and co-founder of Glovo, commented: “It’s been a long search process, as we understood the importance of this role. The wait has paid off.
“We’ve found in Narek a great culture fit, the ambition and the motivation to lead our tech team and help Glovo become the best tech employer in Europe.
“He shares our vision and values, and his previous experience scaling powerful tech teams will be pivotal as we continue to lead the charge in multi-category offerings and expand our Q-Commerce division.
“We’ve always been very proud of our tech capabilities at Glovo, and we are excited to continue to bring to our users a truly seamless delivery experience that sets us apart.”
