NEW YORK, May 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Etsy, Inc. (Nasdaq: ETSY), a marketplace where people around the world connect, both online and offline, to make, sell and buy unique goods, today announced that it is expanding its executive team in order to better position itself for long-term, values-aligned growth.

Linda Kozlowski will join Etsy as Chief Operating Officer, effective May 16, 2016. Additionally, Heather Jassy, who currently serves as our SVP, Members & Community, will take on the newly-created role of SVP, Values-Aligned Business, and will focus on ensuring that our mission and values are deeply ingrained into every aspect of Etsy's culture, products, services, business and leadership. We believe that adding to our bench of talent will enable us to build on our existing momentum, enhance our ability to scale our operations globally and provide us with added expertise to pursue new avenues of growth, all while deepening our commitment to our core mission and values.

"Expanding our leadership team reflects our commitment to grow our business strategically, thoughtfully and in a way that is aligned with our core values," said Chad Dickerson, Etsy, Inc. CEO and Chair. "The organizational enhancements we are announcing today are designed to improve our overall business execution capabilities so that we can move even more confidently and purposefully into the future."

Linda brings more than 20 years experience leading cross-functional and global teams in operations, international marketing, business development, public relations and customer service. She was previously COO and VP of Worldwide Operations at Evernote and, earlier, held senior-level positions at Alibaba.com.

Linda has a deep appreciation for our values and a passion for empowering entrepreneurs and small businesses, and we believe her skillset will enhance our ability to execute on our strategy. She will lead our International, Members & Community, Marketing, Brand Design, and Communications teams, enabling us to provide an even more consistent and relevant experience to members of our community around the world.

Through a period of sustained growth and expansion, Heather has built and scaled Etsy's global customer operations, enhanced the integrity of our marketplace, and introduced innovative programs that support and engage our community. For more on Heather's new role, please read her post on the Etsy News Blog.

"I am delighted to welcome Linda to Etsy's very special community," Chad continued. "In addition to her track record of driving global growth in two-sided marketplaces, Linda shares our long-term vision and embraces our unique operating philosophy. Over the past four years, Heather has become a trusted advisor to me on values-related decisions in addition to her excellent work running Member Operations & Community, and I'm looking forward to working closely with her in this new role."

"I have long admired Etsy's focus on connecting people globally through commerce, and I'm excited to work with the talented team and community that Etsy has built," said Linda. "Etsy's mission aligns perfectly with my passion for promoting individual expression, creativity, and opportunity through entrepreneurship around the world."

Kristina Salen, CFO, said, "I believe that this new structure encourages and supports even greater collaboration across key Etsy teams, reflects our ambition to become a truly global company, and positions us to meet the opportunities that lie ahead of us."

About Etsy

Etsy is a marketplace where millions of people around the world connect, both online and offline, to make, sell and buy unique goods. The Etsy community includes the creative entrepreneurs who sell on our platform, thoughtful consumers looking to buy unique goods in our marketplace, retailers and manufacturers who partner with Etsy sellers to help them grow their businesses, and Etsy employees who maintain our platform and nurture our ecosystem. Our mission is to reimagine commerce in ways that build a more fulfilling and lasting world, and we're committed to using the power of business to strengthen communities and empower people.

Etsy was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include information related to our mission, business strategies and plans, business environment and future growth. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those that we expect. These risks and uncertainties are more fully described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. Forward-looking statements represent our beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this press release. We disclaim any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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SOURCE Etsy, Inc.