AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WP Engine, the premium managed hosting platform for websites and applications built with WordPress, today announced the appointment of Heather Brunner as CEO. A 23-year technology veteran, Brunner has built a career driving growth and scaling business operations for SaaS companies in large and expanding markets. Prior to WP Engine, she served as COO of Bazaarvoice through its rapid growth and IPO. In her new role as CEO of WP Engine, she will build on the company’s product innovation and client success to cement its market leadership as WordPress continues to emerge as a dominant force in content management for all organizations.
Nearly 20% of the web currently runs on WordPress, and WP Engine is rapidly being adopted across SMBs, enterprises, big media and Fortune 500 companies that prioritize speed, performance and security. The company today announced that more than 20 million unique visitors interact with its client experiences every day on digital properties spanning retail, media, and financial services.
"This is a very exciting time with the explosive growth of WordPress for digital marketing and content," said Brunner. "WP Engine has already created a phenomenal business by powering tens of thousands of websites and apps built with WordPress. Now our technology innovation and exceptional customer support give us a rock-solid foundation to take the next step and establish WP Engine as the front line for every customer interaction across web, social, mobile and ecommerce."
Jason Cohen, WP Engine's founder who served as CEO since the company was started in 2010, will assume the role of Chief Technology Officer. He will continue to drive WP Engine's technology strategy and product vision with a focus on innovation and client success.
"It has been wonderful working side-by-side with Heather as she brings her wisdom and experience in leading us through this phase of remarkable growth,” said Cohen. “I am very excited to work together while being able to focus on growing our technical innovation team and its vision for the company."
Brunner joined WP Engine as COO in May 2013 to focus on business strategy, global growth and customer experience. She previously served for five years as COO of Bazaarvoice (NASDAQ: BV), from early, rapid global growth through to IPO and two acquisition integrations.
Before joining Bazaarvoice, Brunner served as president and CEO of Nuvo, a wholly owned subsidiary of Trilogy and provider of managed network services, and COO for B-Side (acquired by Slated), a privately funded entertainment technology company. She has held various other executive management roles at leading technology companies, including Coremetrics (acquired by IBM), Trilogy, Concero, Oracle and Accenture.
The Austin Business Journal named Brunner a 2010 Profiles in Power “Woman of Influence.” She served as a judge for the 2013 E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year award for Central Texas and serves on the Board of Directors for the Capital Area United Way.
About WP Engine
WP Engine powers amazing digital experiences on websites or applications built with WordPress. The company's premium managed hosting platform provides the performance, reliability and security required by the biggest brands in the world, while remaining affordable and intuitive enough for smaller businesses and individuals. Companies large and small rely on WP Engine’s exceptional customer service team that specializes in quickly solving technical problems, and creating a world-class customer experience. For more information, visit www.wpengine.com.