Jumia, Africa’s largest e-commerce company, has appointed Massimiliano Spalazzi as the Chief Executive Officer, Jumia Nigeria.
The Company said that the appointment is in line with the operation’s plans as Jumia has grown from startup to full-fledged technology status.
Massimiliano Spalazzi takes over from Juliet Anammah who has assumed the role of chairwoman of Jumia Nigeria and the Head of institutional affairs across Africa
Recall that Jumia shut down its operations in countries like Cameroon and Tanzania. These happened a few months after Jumia has listed shares on the New York Stock Exchange.
Sharing the company’s vision for the year 2020 during a press conference today, Jumia Group’s Co-founder and co-CEO Jeremy Hodara, announced that Massimiliano Spalazzi will be the new CEO of Jumia Nigeria.
He said that Spalazzi who continues in his role as the Executive Vice President, Marketplace, once known as Kaymu, for Jumia Group, joined the company in 2012 as the head of its online marketplace.
He has also served as CEO for Jumia Emerging Countries between January 2015 – January 2019 and CEO Jumia market from January 2015 – September 2017.
Hodara says this appointment is a sign of the growth that comes with working for a company like Jumia and expects more of such promotions from within the company.
Jumia’s co-CEO also envisages growth and profitability in the new year, a scenario he believes will be made possible by incentivising the usage of the platform and increased use of JumiaPay.
With the new appointment, Jumia Nigeria’s former CEO, Juliet Anammah assumes the role of chairwoman of Jumia Nigeria and the Head of institutional affairs across Africa.
As Chairwoman of the ecommerce company, Anammah explains that she will be supporting Spalazzi for the smooth running of Jumia Nigeria no longer be fully involved in the day to day activities of Jumia Nigeria.
As part of the vision for 2020, Spalazzi says the company will keep looking to make goods more affordable for consumers, foster faster deliveries with Jumia x-press, and concentrate more in the delivery of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGS) and essential commodities.
The Company has also intensified efforts to make JumiaPay a stand-alone Fintech company.
JumiaPay which was introduced in 2016 as the payment arm of Jumia is presently available in six African countries of Nigeria, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Morocco and Kenya.
