Shopify Inc., based in Ottawa, is undergoing significant leadership changes with the promotion of Jess Hertz to chief operating officer and the announcement of chief revenue officer Bobby Morrison's departure. Hertz's promotion follows the exit of Kaz Nejatian, who left last month to become the CEO of Opendoor Technologies Inc.

In her new role, Hertz aims to enhance operational efficiency. She stated her priorities include making work visible, shortening feedback loops, delivering in smaller increments, and owning outcomes from start to finish. A spokesperson for Shopify noted that Hertz's experience will help the company move faster and provide better services for its merchants. "Jess has spent four years deeply understanding our business and rewiring how we operate," the spokesperson said. Hertz has been with Shopify since 2021, serving as general counsel. Her previous roles include working as a staff secretary at the White House and as general counsel for the Biden-Harris transition team. She also held a position at Meta Platforms Inc. from 2018 to 2020.

Morrison announced his resignation in a LinkedIn post, reflecting on his three-and-a-half years at Shopify as some of the most impactful of his career. He previously served as chief revenue officer for Intuit and has experience with Microsoft and Verizon. In his post, he praised Shopify's founder and CEO Tobi Lütke, calling him an "amazing leader" and highlighting the company's mission-driven culture.

In addition to these leadership changes, Shopify recently revealed a partnership with OpenAI Inc. This collaboration will enable over one million merchants to utilize ChatGPT's new shopping function to sell their products. The integration of artificial intelligence has become a key focus for Shopify, as the company continues to incorporate AI into its tools and services. Lütke emphasized the importance of AI in a staff memo earlier this year, stating, "Using AI is now a fundamental expectation for everyone at Shopify."