ESW has appointed former WHSmith Group CEO Carl Cowling as its new Chief Executive Officer as the ecommerce company looks to accelerate its next phase of growth.
Cowling will take up the role in early September, succeeding Eric Eichmann, who has led ESW since 2023.
He joins ESW following more than a decade at WHSmith, where he held a number of senior leadership positions before becoming Group CEO in 2019. During his time leading the retailer, Cowling oversaw its international expansion and the continued growth of its global travel business.
ESW said his appointment comes as the company focuses on commercial growth across priority markets, developing its agentic commerce strategy and increasing value for enterprise clients.
The company provides direct-to-consumer ecommerce technology and services to brands looking to sell internationally, covering areas including localisation, payments, checkout, delivery and returns. Its platform supports ecommerce across more than 200 markets.
Marc Pontet, Chairperson at ESW, said:
“ESW is entering this next chapter with strong foundations: a clear proposition, deep international capabilities and significant opportunity ahead. Carl is the right leader for this next phase. He combines the perspective of a retailer with the discipline of an experienced international operator. He understands first-hand what brands expect from a strategic commerce partner, and he has led complex, multi-market businesses where consistent execution is fundamental to commercial and global performance”.
Carl Cowling, incoming CEO of ESW, said:
I have spent my career on the retail side of this relationship, so I know what brands need from a partner like ESW. The company has built a distinctive international capability at a scale very few can match, and it has moved decisively on agentic commerce at a pivotal moment in the way consumers discover and buy products. My first priority will be to listen closely to clients and colleagues and understand where ESW can create the greatest value. We will focus our investment and energy on those opportunities and ensure that our organization, capabilities and ways of working support the execution of our strategy. I am excited by the opportunity ahead and look forward to getting started and meeting colleagues across the business.”
