Lyst founder and CEO steps into chair role, new chief announced

The founder of fashion search engine Lyst is stepping down from his role as CEO to serve as chair.

Chris Morton, who has been at the helm of the London-based company since its launch in 2010, will now focus exclusively on strategy, partnerships, and financing initiatives.

Emma McFerran [pictured], who joined Lyst in 2014 and currently serves as chief operating officer, will step into the CEO role in September.

In a statement, Morton said: “As Lyst continues to grow, it's increasingly clear that we have a unique opportunity ahead of us - my biggest fear is that we don't take advantage of it.”

He said the market is “accelerating and changing fast in the current environment” which offer “tremendous tailwinds for our business”.

Incoming CEO Emma McFerran said: “Over many years Chris and I have built a powerful partnership, sharing a vision and a deep commitment to making Lyst the winning model for our customers and partners.

“This new team structure allows us to better realize our company’s immense potential, and take Lyst to the next level.”

Lyst also announced Wednesday the appointment of Liz Kistruck as its new chief financial officer.

Previously she spent over a decade in senior leadership positions at Expedia, including as CFO of Hotel.com.

Today, Lyst’s app counts over 200 million annual users.