Agility Robotics hires Magic Leap exec; Zuper adds CMO; and more – GeekWire
Daniel Diez, a longtime tech and communications leader who was most recently chief commercial officer at augmented reality company Magic Leap, joined Agility Robotics as its chief strategy officer.
The Corvallis, Ore.-based company known for its Digit bipedal humanoid warehouse robot raised a $150 million funding round in April 2022, led by DCVC and Playground Global, with participation from Amazon’s $1 billion Industrial Innovation Fund. Amazon started testing Digit as part of its warehouse operations last year.
Diez did two stints with Magic Leap, in roles including chief marketing officer and advisor to the CEO. He also worked for KCD Brands, R/GA, and Interbrand.
Earlier this year, Peggy Johnson, the former Microsoft executive who stepped down as Magic Leap CEO last fall, was named the new CEO of Agility.
Agility last year announced a new manufacturing plant in Salem, Ore., where it expects to ultimately be able to produce more than 10,000 robots a year.
Other key personnel moves across the Pacific Northwest tech industry:
— Seattle startup Zuper hired Seth Nesbitt as its chief marketing officer. Nesbitt was previously a marketing leader at Seattle-area contract giant Icertis, and held roles at Ecova, Parallels, and Amdocs. Zuper, which provides field operations software to help companies manage workers across various industries, recently raised $32 million and won Next Tech Titan honors at the GeekWire Awards.
— Longtime Seattle healthcare IT leader Corinne (Pascale) Stroum was promoted to head of emerging technologies at SCAN, a nonprofit that focuses on senior care. Stroum previously worked for Advata, Caradigm, and Microsoft.
— Seattle-based telecom startup Teal Communications promoted Robb Monkman to chief marketing officer. Monkman joined the company in 2022. He previously founded React Mobile.
