image: WhatsApp

Facebook’s WhatsApp has hired a top executive from WorldRemit, a U.K. money transfer startup valued at more than $900 million, with nearly $400 million in total funding. Reuters reported the hire, citing three persons ‘familiar with the matter’. The top executive in particular is Alice Newton-Rex, WorldRemit’s chief product officer, which Reuters reports will join WhatsApp’s product team later this year.

According to one cited person familiar with the matter, Newton-Rex will not work on Facebook’s recently unveiled digital currency, Libra, but will work on the main WhatsApp messaging service. WhatsApp – one of the world’s largest messaging apps, with over 1 billion users — has been expanding its team in Europe, including in London.

image: WhatsApp

According to Newton-Rex’s LinkedIn profile, she’s been at WorldRemit for nearly five years, initially serving in two product roles before becoming chief product officer one year ago. Prior to WorldRemit, she had stints at the UK Ministry of Justice, GOV.UK (the British government’s online portal) and the GSM Association.

WorldRemit where Newton-Rex still works is backed by the likes of Accel (an early investor in Facebook prior to going public), TCV, Leapfrog and TriplePoint Venture Growth.

More Moves:

• Postmates Adds Google’s Kristin Reinke To Board
• Apple’s Jony Ive Leaves To Form Own Design Company
• Ken Lerer Steps Down As Buzzfeed Chairman
• Postmates Poaches Apple Engineer
• Walmart Hires A CTO
• King CEO Riccardo Zacconi To Step Down
• Brad Bao Takes Over As Lime CEO

Share this...

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Linkedin

Whatsapp

Email

Print