Kenyan mobile commerce startup Copia appoints former Amazon Executive to its Board

Copia Global, a Kenyan-based mobile commerce platform has announced the appointment of former Amazon executive Jason Murray to its Board.  

During Jason's 19 years on Amazon's leadership team, the company experienced unprecedented growth, increasing revenues from $1.6 billion to $236 billion. During this period of explosive growth, Jason had leadership roles in various critical e-commerce functions at Amazon, including software development, pricing, inventory planning, fulfillment, supply chain management, and retail systems.

He brings this wealth of e-commerce knowledge to Copia Global during its time of rapid growth. Jason joins a team of other Board members, including Founder and Chairman Tracey Turner, Isaac Awuondo, Chairman NCBA Bank, Jerry Held, a successful Silicon Valley technology executive, and Shakir Merali, LGT  Impact investor representative. 

Tracey Turner, Founder and Chairman, Copia Global: "We are delighted to welcome Jason Murray to our Board. He brings an in-depth understanding of the global e-commerce industry, which will enhance the Copia model as we expand across Africa. Jason joins Copia at an exciting time when the African middle-class is growing, and Copia is  experiencing rapid growth. Jason’s invaluable Amazon growth perspective will reinforce Copia’s strategy, accelerate our  profitability and increase the value we provide to our customers and partners." 

Jason's experience building and leading multiple global Amazon teams from India to China will bring invaluable e-commerce scaling expertise to the team as Copia embarks on its international expansion strategy.

Jason  Murray, Co-founder, and CEO, Shipium: "In a challenging environment, Copia has already achieved significant milestones in its mission to provide access to an underserved consumer mass-market in Africa and has demonstrated an unwavering customer-centric focus that I admire. Given Copia’s impressive growth rate and the opportunity to expand across  Africa, I am reminded of Amazon’s early days, which further indicates Copia's enormous potential. I am thrilled to be  joining an impressive cast of industry professionals in leading Copia's world-class team to empower Africa's low-to middle-income consumers.” 

Launched in Kenya in 2013, Copia Global harnesses mobile technologies, a network of local Agents, and proprietary Copia Logistics to reach a market that formal retail and Western e-commerce models cannot. Copia brings quality products at the lowest market prices delivered at no cost to thousands of customers every day. The company has fulfilled more than  10 million orders in Kenya and Uganda.

Tim  Steel, CEO, Copia Global: "At Copia, we have developed an e-commerce model that is unique to the African middle to low-income class, and there is much to learn from Amazon's incredible global growth trajectory. We are excited to have the opportunity to leverage the experience and perspective of a former Amazon leader such as Jason Murray towards Copia's growth." 

The company has built a network of just under 30,000 Agents, small shopkeepers who serve as order and delivery points,  across Kenya and Uganda. This allows customers to choose how they interact with Copia – online or offline. Operating its own technology-enabled world-class logistics service, Copia can deliver to the most remote locations, even in places with poor road infrastructure or lack of addresses, at no additional cost to the customer. 

www.copia.co.ke