PayPal announced on Tuesday that it has appointed Enrique Lores, former President and CEO of HP Inc., as its new CEO and President, replacing Alex Chriss. Lores, who has served as chair of PayPal’s board since July 2024, will officially take the helm in March 2026. Until then, Jamie Miller, PayPal’s CFO and COO, will act as interim CEO.
The leadership change comes amid challenges for the payments giant. In its latest fourth-quarter results, PayPal reported lower-than-expected revenue and profit, citing dips in consumer spending, a softer labor market, and broader cost-of-living pressures. The company also projected a decline in full-year profit, surprising investors who had anticipated growth. Following the announcement, PayPal’s shares fell nearly 18% in premarket trading.
The board explained that the CEO transition was driven by a need for faster execution and greater innovation, stating that the company’s pace of change “was not in line with the Board’s expectations” given evolving market dynamics. Lores emphasized that PayPal must deliver both on product innovation and quarterly financial accountability.
“The payments industry is changing faster than ever, driven by new technologies, evolving regulations, intense competition, and the rapid acceleration of AI reshaping commerce daily,” Lores said. “PayPal sits at the center of this change, and I look forward to leading the team to accelerate the delivery of new innovations and shape the future of digital payments.”
This leadership transition highlights a broader trend: technology and AI are redefining not only business operations but also customer experiences and expectations. Just as digital innovation has transformed payments, it is also reshaping fields like mental health, where AI-driven tools, apps, and platforms are expanding access while introducing new ethical and privacy challenges. In both sectors, speed of innovation is crucial—but so is accountability.
Digital transformation offers opportunities to improve access and efficiency. At PayPal, innovations in AI, predictive analytics, and user experience could create faster, smarter, and safer financial solutions. Similarly, in mental health, technology has enabled AI-powered chatbots, teletherapy platforms, and wearable devices that track sleep, mood, and stress. These innovations can improve accessibility, reduce costs, and provide personalized support.
Yet, just as technology can empower, it can also complicate outcomes. For PayPal, rapid technological change must be balanced with financial stability, security, and customer trust. In mental health, the same tension exists: convenience and personalization can come at the cost of privacy, data security, or over-reliance on digital solutions. Both industries highlight a key principle of modern innovation: tools are only as effective as the ethics, oversight, and human-centered design that guide them.
Lores’ appointment signals PayPal’s intent to embrace this balance, innovating boldly while delivering measurable results. As AI, digital payments, and global commerce evolve at unprecedented speed, leadership that understands both technology and its broader implications will be critical. The company faces a pivotal moment: harnessing innovation to stay competitive while maintaining trust, accountability, and relevance in a rapidly changing financial ecosystem.
PayPal’s path forward mirrors a broader lesson across sectors: in a world transformed by technology and AI, success requires agility, ethical foresight, and a focus on human impact, whether in digital commerce or mental health solutions.
