Instacart names former Amazon exec as operations head

Online delivery service provider Instacart has hired a veteran of a company known for extreme efficiency to take charge of its operations.



Mike Swartz, a retail veteran whose career notably includes a nine-year stint as director of operational excellence at Amazon.com from 1998-2007, is the new senior VP of operations for Instacart. Since Amazon, Swartz’ experience includes four years as senior VP of operations for specialty hair care e-commerce company Folica Inc. and four years as an independent consultant.



Swartz will report to Instacart CEO Apoorva Mehta. His responsibilities will include overseeing personal shoppers and delivery personnel, as well as customer service.



“I have a ton of experience working inside large fulfillment centers, but when you think about the challenge of Instacart, you have this distributed network of people,” Swartz said in an interview with Re/Code. “It’s like an external warehouse or fulfillment operation.”



Prior to Amazon, Swartz spent eight years as general manager and director of distribution for QVC and also served as operations manager for Texas-based grocer H-E-B from 1985-1986.