MarTech company UNiDAYS has appointed a new CEO – co-founder Jon Hawley.
Hawley, previously chief identity officer, will succeed Josh Rathour as he moves to an advisory role with the company and remains as a board member.
The company says the transition comes as part of UNiDAYS’ strategic vision to expand the company’s offerings, further developing its verification and privacy capabilities to deliver unrivalled experiences in global student programmes.
Hawley has led its innovation in verifying student identity which is now the fastest growing area of the business.
Rathour, CEO since founding UNiDAYS in 2011, has grown a user base of 30 million students in 115 markets, connecting hundreds of global brands with a hard-to-reach Gen Z audience.
He has won numerous business awards for innovation, profitability, culture and international growth, as well as personal awards including EY Entrepreneur of the Year.
“After a chance conversation with my daughter, who was five at the time, I was motivated to build a platform to support, enable and inspire students worldwide,” said Rathour.
“By pioneering online trust and identity technology at scale we developed a marketplace that has generated billions of dollars and a highly profitable business with no external investment.
“I’m very proud of our achievements so far and believe Jon will lead the company to even greater heights in the future.”
Hawley added: “I am excited about the opportunity to lead UNiDAYS into its next phase of growth. We have a talented team and a strong commitment to championing student success and wellbeing while facilitating meaningful connections between students and the brands that resonate with their lifestyles and aspirations.
“Josh has been an exceptional leader for UNiDAYS, driving growth and innovation, and I am honoured to build upon the strong foundation he has set.”
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