Amazon growth specialist Venture Forge has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of respected marketing leader Stephen Kenwright as fractional chief commercial officer.
The Halifax-based firm helps ambitious brands unlock profitable growth on the world’s largest online marketplace.
Kenwright will lead on new business and marketing, helping to shape the agency’s commercial strategy, expand its market presence and support the next stage of growth.
He brings almost two decades of commercial, digital and agency leadership experience to the role. He founded creative agency Rise at Seven in 2019, helping grow the business to annual revenues of more than £7 million, employing 110 people across offices in Sheffield, Manchester, London and New York before exiting after three years.
He currently works as a non-executive director and business development consultant to several leading agencies and is widely recognised as one of the industry’s most respected commercial leaders, having spoken on more than 100 stages across 10 countries and founded the SearchLeeds conference.
“I had no plans to return to the fray in a CCO role, but the opportunity with Venture Forge was too good to pass up,” said Kenwright.
“I was excited to get deep into Amazon, since I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface in my previous companies, plus working with Andy and Jonathan, who’ve been friends of friends for a long time – and experienced retailers in their own rights – has been a great experience over the last few weeks.
“Most of all, it feels like an agency in its ascendency – and one where I can make a significant difference.”
Andrew Banks, founder and managing director of Venture Forge, added: “Stephen isn’t a stranger – he’s someone Jonathan and I have known of and rated for years.
“So this was never just about hiring a CCO. It’s about the right person arriving at exactly the right moment: the point where our commercial ambition has outgrown what two founders can carry alone.
“Having an operator of his pedigree choose us tells us everything about where Venture Forge is heading.”
Founded in 2018 by former heads of eCommerce Andrew Banks and Jonathan Newton, Venture Forge partners with ambitious consumer brands including Thermos, VAX, John Cotton and Glen Dimplex.