Thrive Tribe Technologies names new CEO to spearhead expansion of Kumu platform
Australian-based software-as-a-service solutions company Thrive Tribe Technologies (ASX: 1TT) has appointed renowned strategist and marketing leader Jade Spooner as chief executive officer.
Known for her expertise in building customer-centric, community-driven brands in the health and wellness sector, Ms Spooner started her career at Google before co-founding the Equalution diet mobile app in 2014.
Equalution, which transformed manual coaching into a scalable digital business, had by 2020 attracted an eight-figure valuation.
Peer recognition
Ms Spooner’s subsequent career accomplishments include numerous tech start-ups that have been recognised by Deloitte Australia in its prestigious Tech Fast 50 and Startup of the Year lists.
She was also named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2021.
More recently, Ms Spooner was a finalist in the Commonwealth Bank Young Hero awards, which honour Australia’s young entrepreneurs and business leaders.
New responsibilities
As chief executive officer, Ms Spooner will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of Thrive’s operations.
This will include the development of core technology health and wellness social platform Kumu and its related e-commerce marketplace and payment gateway, as well as human resources software platforms WooBoard and Slik.
She will play a hands-on role in appointing and mentoring content creators, social media influencers, celebrities and brand ambassadors for Kumu, while using her own marketing and e-commerce experience to rapidly grow the platform.
Growth potential
Ms Spooner believes there is significant potential for the Kumu platform to expand beyond its current market reach.
“I see all the necessary ingredients for rapid growth in what the Thrive team has built so far and I am aligned with the company’s goal to partner with [those] dedicated to driving positive impact through the Kumu platform,” she said.
“Based on my experience, I believe there is an obvious opportunity to take what Thrive has built so far to formally launch and rapidly grow Kumu.”
Kumu commercialisation
Thrive executive director Wes Culley said Ms Spooner would be integral to Kumu’s commercialisation.
“We have invested millions of dollars into the development of Kumu and its e-commerce marketplace and are now at a critical point of rapid commercialisation,” he said.
“We conducted an extensive recruitment process and settled on Jade due to her proven track record in taking lesser-resourced businesses and rapidly growing their tech platforms.”
“Jade is the leader we need to bring everything together and help Thrive fully realise our potential for shareholders and end-users.”