NEW YORK — Not long after being acquired by Northern Star Acquisition Corp. and going public on the New York Stock Exchange, The Original Bark Company — previously Barkbox, Inc. — announced the appointment of three new executive leaders on July 12.
Nari Sitaraman has been named chief technology officer, Kristi Robinson joins the company as vice president of talent and diversity, and Michael Mougias has been appointed vice president of investor relations.
The three new leaders are expected to bolster the omnichannel dog product company’s long-term growth strategy.
“The additions of Nari, Kristi, and Mike reflect BARK’s ongoing growth and momentum, and our ability to attract professionals of their caliber is a testament to our distinct competitive position and culture,” said Manish Joneja, chief executive officer of BARK. “…We welcome the latest members of the BARK pack as we continue to build a best-in-class organization dedicated to the health and happiness of dogs everywhere.”
Nari Sitaraman, chief technology officer at The Original Bark Company. Sitaraman offers more than 20 years of experience in retail and consulting, with previous roles in technology strategy, engineering and product management. He will be tasked with driving BARK’s culture forward through technology and data, and will work on innovating and personalizing the company’s digital customer experiences.
Most recently, Sitaraman served as chief technology officer at Crate and Barrel Holdings, Inc., where he grew the company’s digital business to account for more than 65% of its total revenue. He also draws experience from prior roles as chief technology officer at The Shade Store, leading technology teams at Williams-Sonoma, Inc and other global brands.
“Nari is a seasoned technology expert who has leveraged data to drive improved business performance throughout his career,” Joneja said.
Sitaraman earned his bachelor’s degree in technology from the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras, a master’s degree from Penn State University, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley.
Kristi Robinson, vice president of talent and diversity at The Original Bark Company. Robinson most recently worked as global head of executive talent acquisition at Dropbox, where she led hiring efforts for positions at and above the director level. Her career also includes serving as head of talent acquisition at Esurance and senior director of recruitment at Liberty Mutual Insurance.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice/pre-law and English from Shaw University.
Mougias joins BARK with more than 10 years of experience in investor relations, financial planning and analysis (FP&A), and corporate development. In his new role with BARK, he will focus on creating and executing its investor relations strategy, including communication efforts, investor targeting, marketing plans and increasing sell-side engagement.
Michael Mougias, vice president of investor relations at The Original Bark Company. Mougias most recently served as vice president of investor relations and FP&A at tZERO, an Overstock.com subsidiary. He had previously served as vice president of investor relations at IMAX Corporation, where he helped the company’s China business go public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE).
Mougias earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics from Sacred Heart University.
“Kristi’s proven track record of building strong, diverse teams will be instrumental in continuing to enhance our deep bench of talent while ensuring an equitable and empowering work environment, while Mike possesses significant experience developing successful investor relations programs for publicly traded companies,” Joneja said.
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