SLI Systems bolsters board with e-commerce exec

Site search specialist SLI Systems has elected New Zealand marketer and social media executive Andy Lark as a non-executive independent director.



"We are very pleased to add Andy's wealth of global brand, e-commerce and marketing experience to the SLI Board," said SLI Systems Chairman Greg Cross. "With his direct experience of building and funding businesses, he is conversant with the challenges unique to a fast-growing technology company like SLI Systems."



"I've seen the power of SLI in accelerating e-commerce through improvements in search, traffic and analytics — it is a real privilege to be able to join SLI at a time when it has both technology leadership and market momentum," said Lark. "SLI is exceptionally well positioned to take advantage of the swing to e-commerce as customers' preferred channel for shopping and I am looking forward to directly supporting its continued growth."



"Over the past three months Andy has played a key role in defining our marketing strategy for the coming year," said SLI co-founder and CEO Shaun Ryan. "Having built significant technology differentiation and leadership we are now translating that into our marketing and brand. This combined with the new marketing talent on the board and management team, positions us well to continue our growth through 2014."



Lark's 25 years of experience across the business-to-business and consumer sectors spans building successful businesses, running multi-billion dollar e-commerce sites and leading marketing programs and teams for major consumer and technology brands, startups and advertising and communications agencies.



Today he leads Group Lark, where, according to a release, he “helps brands globally accelerate their digital transformations and harness the power of social media to improve customer experience and business productivity.”



Most recently he was the chief marketing and online officer at Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), where he revitalized the CBA brand with the 'Commonwealth Bank Can' campaign and played a key role in establishing the bank's digital and online leadership. Prior to this he was VP and GM of large enterprise marketing and online at computer manufacturer Dell. He has led marketing teams at LogLogic, Sun Microsystems and Nortel Networks. He is also a former SVP and partner at Fleishman-Hillard, touted as the world's largest public relations agency. Lark has a bachelor of arts from Auckland University.