Shopify eyes European growth, appoints new EMEA leaders

Ecommerce platform Shopify is investing in its European growth strategy with two new appointments. The Canadian tech firm announced it appointed Deann Evans as Managing Director, EMEA, and Birk Angermann as Head of Revenue, EMEA, to drive growth in the region and provide better support to its merchants and partners.

EMEA currently accounts for 25 percent of Shopify's merchant base and contributed 16 percent of its revenue in the last financial year. These strategic leadership roles are essential for Shopify's future growth plans in the region.

Deann Evans, previously the Director of EMEA Expansion & Partnerships at Shopify, will be responsible for expanding regional growth, supporting merchants and entrepreneurs, growing the partner ecosystem, and fostering team culture within EMEA markets. Before joining Shopify, Deann held leadership positions at eBay, Mettr, and Sizmek.

Birk Angermann, formerly the Head of Global Solutions Engineering, will now lead Shopify's sales and solution engineering teams in EMEA as the Head of Revenue. His focus will be on helping customers maximize the benefits of the Shopify platform for their specific needs. Birk has extensive experience in AI, cloud, and customer experience development. The appointments come at a time when EMEA is becoming a hotbed for entrepreneurs.

According to the Shopify Entrepreneurship Index, which measures the economic impact of entrepreneurs in 40 countries, Europe dominates the rankings with 11 out of the top 20 countries. The UK ranks fourth globally and second among the G7 economies, with British entrepreneurs generating over 28 billion pounds worth of business activity in 2022. EMEA countries less known for entrepreneurship, such as Lithuania, are also thriving, with a second-ranking on the Shopify Entrepreneurship Index.

New tools for success

Shopify's expansion in the EMEA region aims to provide merchants with the tools and platform to build successful businesses. The company's mission to make commerce better for everyone requires a global influence, and the strategic leadership appointments align with this goal. The Shopify Entrepreneurship Index will be released quarterly, offering timely insights into the state of entrepreneurship worldwide.