Prentis Wilson, B2B Technology Veteran, Joins The ODP Corporation

Rhea-AI Summary

The ODP Corporation (NASDAQ: ODP) has appointed Prentis Wilson to lead its new technology initiative aimed at enhancing B2B sourcing, purchasing, and supply chain solutions. Wilson, with a background at Amazon Business and Boxed.com, is tasked with driving digital transformation within the company. ODP seeks to capture a share of the $8 trillion B2B market, emphasizing the need for suppliers to adopt advanced eCommerce technologies. This move is part of ODP's broader strategy to evolve into a leading B2B platform.

Positive

• Appointment of Prentis Wilson, an experienced B2B technology leader, to drive digital transformation.
• Focus on capturing share in the $8 trillion B2B commerce market in the U.S.
• ODP's strategic hiring to strengthen its position in the rapidly evolving technology landscape.

Negative

• None.

The ODP Corporation (NASDAQ: ODP), a leading provider of business services, products and digital workplace technology solutions through an integrated B2B distribution platform, today announced that it hired Prentis Wilson to further drive the company’s digital transformation, leading a new technology business focused on transforming B2B sourcing, purchasing, and supply chain for suppliers and buyers.

Wilson is responsible for helping establish and scale the newly launched technology platform. B2B purchasing is rapidly moving online and procurement organizations of all sizes are embracing digital sourcing and purchasing. Suppliers need B2B-grade eCommerce technology and nimble supply chains to remain competitive. As a world-class B2B technology and supply chain platform, ODP is positioned to help drive efficiency for buyers and growth for suppliers. The addition of Wilson and the new ODP business positions the company to more fully participate in the $8 trillion B2B commerce market in the U.S.

Wilson has a strong track record of successfully building large-scale, disruptive, B2B technology businesses. He spent almost eight years at Amazon.com, Inc., where he launched Amazon Business and grew it to over $10 billion in annual sales. Prior to joining Amazon, he held senior operations and B2B procurement roles at Cisco Systems, Inc. and Honeywell International, Inc. Most recently, he was the President of Boxed.com, a wholesale technology start-up.

“We are excited to have Prentis join us to help execute this next phase of our journey, as he brings proven experience, instant credibility, and deep know-how that is simply unmatched in the B2B procurement and eCommerce space,” said Gerry Smith, chief executive officer of The ODP Corporation. “As we continue to evolve into a leading B2B company, having one of the world’s most innovative and proven leaders scale what can be one of our most valuable businesses is key to expanding our value proposition, driving innovation, and accelerating growth.”

“Rapid innovation in digital commerce and supply chain technology has created unprecedented opportunities for our customers, both buyers and suppliers alike,” said Wilson. “I’m thrilled to join the ODP team and excited to build this incredible new technology platform business. ODP’s transformational plan, B2B specific know-how, and strong physical assets uniquely positions us to improve the way businesses buy and sell.”

Wilson earned two Master of Science degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one in mechanical engineering and one in business administration from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

ODP has been acquiring top talent in the B2B technology space, with several high-profile hires, including Terry Leeper, former head of product and technology for Amazon Business.

About The ODP Corporation
The ODP Corporation (NASDAQ:ODP) is a leading provider of business services and supplies, products and digital workplace technology solutions to small, medium and enterprise businesses, through an integrated business-to-business (B2B) distribution platform, which includes world-class supply chain and distribution operations, dedicated sales professionals and technicians, online presence, and approximately 1,200 stores. Through its banner brands Office Depot®, OfficeMax®, CompuCom® and Grand&Toy®, as well as others, the Company offers its customers the tools and resources they need to focus on their passion of starting, growing and running their business. For more information, visit news.theodpcorp.com and investor.theodpcorp.com.

The ODP Corporation and Office Depot are trademarks of The Office Club, Inc. OfficeMax is a trademark of OMX, Inc. CompuCom is a trademark of CompuCom Systems, Inc. Grand&Toy is a trademark of Grand & Toy, LLC in Canada. ©2021 Office Depot, LLC. All rights reserved. Any other product or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210216005398/en/

FAQ

What is the significance of Prentis Wilson's appointment at ODP?

Prentis Wilson's appointment is aimed at driving ODP's digital transformation and enhancing its B2B technology solutions.

How does ODP plan to leverage the $8 trillion B2B commerce market?

ODP aims to enhance its B2B sourcing and supply chain solutions to capture a share of the lucrative B2B commerce market.

What is ODP's strategy for digital transformation?

ODP's strategy includes hiring top talent and developing a new technology platform focused on improving B2B purchasing and supply chain efficiency.

How does Prentis Wilson's experience benefit ODP?

Wilson's extensive background in B2B technology, including his success at Amazon Business, is expected to drive innovation and growth at ODP.