Dave Clark, the executive credited with overseeing Amazon’s transformation into a global giant, is stepping down as chief executive of the company’s consumer business after 23 years with the firm.
Clark’s departure is the latest amongst veteran employees that had formed the spine of the company for years under founder Jeff Bezos. Since the appointment of CEO Andy Jassy last year a number of well-known names have announced their departure from the firm.
Amazon have not immediately named a replacement for Clark. In a blog post announcing his departure, Jassy said that Amazon would announce an update “over the next few weeks”.
Amazon’s retail unit grew exponentially through the Covid-19 pandemic as consumers switched to online purchases, but has been experiencing slowed growth and logistical issues more recently. Sources at the firm claim that tension has been high between Jassy and Clark, with the former blaming the latter for the issues experienced.
In a statement on Twitter, Clark said he was looking forward to getting back to building. “It’s what drives me,” he said.
Clark joined Amazon in 1999 fresh out of business school. He quickly rose through the ranks, and is credited with scaling the company’s in-house delivery system that has become the backbone of its business.