CreatorIQ hires Chris Harrington as CEO

CreatorIQ, the industry-leading creator marketing software for global brands and agencies, today announced the hiring of web analytics and marketing software pioneer Chris Harrington as CEO. In this role, the dynamic software-as-a-service (SaaS) executive will lead and accelerate the company’s next phase of growth as the creator economy’s total addressable market approaches half a trillion dollars.

Harrington has 30 years of experience building SaaS companies, with most of that time spent mentoring CMOs and their marketing executives. Among his many accomplishments, he served as President of Global Sales and Client Services at Omniture, a next-generation web analytics platform. During his seven-year tenure, Harrington grew Omniture’s revenue from $3.5 million to over $500 million (32% of that business came from an extensive ecosystem of agency partners). Adobe eventually acquired the company for $1.8 billion.

Harrington also served as president and board member of Domo, a cloud-based data experience platform used by companies such as Unilever, NBA and TaylorMade. Harrington joined Domo when the company was two years old and grew the company’s revenue from $7 million to over $150 million in less than four years.

“I am thrilled to welcome Chris as CreatorIQ’s new CEO. His dynamic leadership and vision align perfectly with our mission to make creator marketing measurable, integrated and indispensable. Chris’ track record of innovation and success in scaling SaaS companies makes me excited for what lies ahead. Chris’ compassionate leadership and commitment to our customers’ success make me confident we have the right leader for our future,” said Igor Vaks, Founder, Board Member and former CEO of CreatorIQ. “Together with our customers and partners, we will continue to advance creator marketing with CreatorIQ leading the way in measurement and technology. I look forward to supporting Chris on this journey and witnessing the remarkable success that lies ahead for CreatorIQ and our industry.”

Most recently, Harrington served as CRO at Entrata, a property management software company, where he led all customer-facing operations. Prior to that, Harrington served as CEO at InsideSales, where he optimized sales processes for clients such as Dell, Caesars Entertainment, Fidelity and American Express.

“Today, consumers are increasingly relying on the power of creators throughout their purchase journey, focusing their time and attention on platforms that give them that sense of community,” said Harrington. “As brands and agencies aggressively change their marketing mix to address this massive shift in audiences, creators play an essential role in building authentic relationships with these consumers. As the creator economy’s most secure and trusted software infrastructure, I look forward to continuing CreatorIQ’s story of enabling scale, success and innovation for our clients.”

Interim CEO Jon Namnath, who is also co-founder of creator intelligence platform Tribe Dynamics, which CreatorIQ acquired in 2021, remains a key member of CreatorIQ’s leadership team and board of directors. Namnath has guided the company’s continued growth in the six months following founder Igor Vaks’ departure from an operational role and was a driving force in the decision-making process that led to Harrington’s hiring. Previously, Jon served as Chief Growth Officer at CreatorIQ, leading the company to consecutive record revenue quarters and laying a strong foundation for growth.

“As the global creator economy continues to grow, CreatorIQ has become an integral platform supporting end-to-end efforts for more than 1,200 global brands and agencies, including United Airlines, Wella and Dentsu,” said Jon Namnath, interim CEO and board member at CreatorIQ. “Chris is a dynamic, dedicated and enthusiastic leader who has helped build several billion-dollar companies and has the experience to drive growth for CreatorIQ, our clients and the industry as a whole.”

With Generation Z’s global purchasing power reaching $450 billion and them controlling 17% of global retail spending by 2030, it is critical for companies to understand their preferences and behaviors.¹ Notably, 72% of young people in the US follow a creator and over half have purchased a product from someone they follow.²

Customer comment

Scott Friedman, CEO of Rare Beauty: “We would not have achieved Rare Beauty’s rapid success if the creator community had not recognized and amplified their love for the brand’s products and messages. As consumers spend more time and attention in various digital and online social spaces, the voices of beauty creators are more important than ever. It is now impossible to build a strong brand in the beauty space without a solid creator strategy.”

Michelle Crossan-Matos, Chief Marketing Officer, Ulta: “At Ulta Beauty, we know that true joy lives in the communities we are part of and that creatives are the linchpin that brings authentic connections to life through engaging content. To succeed in marketing today, you have to recognize the power of creatives, and we have fully embraced them in our marketing mix to not only tell stories through relatable voices, but also drive business results with lasting impact.”

Noel Mack, Chief Brand Officer, Gymshark: “As a company, Gymshark has integrated creatives throughout its business, from product design to creative execution, to ensure they build a deep connection with their customers. Creatives have been instrumental in the success of the Gymshark brand over the years and will continue to do so in the future.”

Alexa Tonner, co-founder and COO of Collectively: “Collectively has been working with creatives for 11 years, but the last few years have been transformative – it feels like we’re at an inflection point. Brands are beyond the ‘test and learn’ phase because they see the impact creatives have across the entire marketing funnel. We’ve seen a huge shift in brands developing comprehensive, multi-year strategies and looking for agencies to help them develop, execute and measure impact. Creative marketing feels like digital marketing did 20 years ago – critical for all marketers and central to all consumer touchpoints.”