BigCommerce Names Travis Hess as CEO

BigCommerce Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: BIGC), a prominent open SaaS and composable ecommerce platform catering to both fast-growing and established B2C and B2B brands, has announced the appointment of Travis Hess as its new CEO. Brent Bellm will step down from his positions as CEO and Chairman of the Board. In his place, the Board has appointed Hess as a director to fill the vacancy left by Bellm’s departure. Ellen Siminoff, a current board member, will take on the role of Executive Chair of the Board immediately.

Hess comes to this role with a substantial track record in driving top-line growth and profitability for businesses. He joined BigCommerce as President in May 2024 and has held senior leadership positions at various leading global commerce agencies and consultancies, including Accenture, where he directed the firm’s direct-to-consumer commerce offerings and go-to-market strategies. During his tenure at Accenture, Hess also oversaw the firm’s global partnership with Shopify. He has been involved with advisory boards for major partners such as Shopify, Klaviyo, SAP/Hybris, and Rackspace and was recognized as one of the 30 Most Influential in Ecommerce by Signifyd in 2022.

Before joining Accenture, Hess served as executive vice president at The Stable, a leading omnichannel commerce agency acquired by Accenture. Additionally, he was the chief commercial officer and later the CEO of BVA, a well-known global DTC and Shopify agency that was acquired by The Stable in December 2021.

Hess will now lead BigCommerce’s global operations, focusing on the company’s overall success and growth.

Reflecting on his journey, Bellm stated, “It’s been an amazing journey at the helm of BigCommerce, and I’m incredibly proud of everything that we have accomplished as a company over the past nine plus years. There is a tremendous opportunity ahead for BigCommerce, and Travis is the perfect leader to take the company through its next phase of growth. I look forward to helping the team as we make this transition.”

Siminoff praised Bellm’s contributions, saying, “Brent has been a critical part of BigCommerce’s success and we are forever grateful for his leadership and all that he has done to push the company to where it is today. The market has evolved tremendously over the past decade, and under Travis’ leadership, we are perfectly positioned to stay ahead of the competition and continuously drive value for our vast and growing customer base.”

Hess expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “Brent and the entire BigCommerce team have done an incredible job building the business for nearly a decade, and I am honored to take on this new role at one of the most exciting companies in ecommerce today. At BigCommerce, we have an incredible base of customers, employees, and partners along with a strong and unique suite of capabilities. The opportunity ahead of us is significant and truly exciting. I look forward to collaborating closely with our team to help our customers maximize our offerings and guide our business through its next phase of growth.”

In closing, BigCommerce reaffirms its financial guidance for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 as previously communicated on August 1, 2024.