Dick Smith CIO Paul Keen lands new job

dick smithPaul Keen, the former CIO of Dick Smith, has landed a new job as chief technology officer at Airtasker, an online marketplace to outsource everyday tasks.

Having previously held roles with RedBalloon and Salmat Digital, Keen joined Dick Smith in November 2013 and was responsible for building the electronics retailer’s online offering.

At Dick Smith, Keen lead a cross-functional internal team responsible for the ERP, digital, supply chain and POS managing revenues in excess of $1.4 billion.

Dick Smith’s online business was acquired by Kogan.com this week, for an undisclosed sum.

Under the new ownership Dick Smith will operate as a pureplay online retailer, keeping the iconic brand alive after months of turmoil.

“We will invest in the brand and rebuild consumer trust. We acknowledge that consumer trust takes years to build and can be damaged very quickly,” said Ruslan Kogan, CEO of Kogan.com.

“Ultimately, a brand grows when it delivers on its promises. We will work tirelessly to exceed the expectations of every Dick Smith customer with a beautiful shopping experience.”

Dick Smith will continue to focus on consumer electronics and appliances, offering a variety of private labels and leading brands.

“The combined buying power of Kogan.com and Dick Smith will provide a compelling proposition to the world’s leading brands and suppliers. This will enable us to trade on more favourable terms and pass on those savings onto consumers,” Kogan said.

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