Sidewalk delivery robots firm Kiwibot hires former Uber Head of Business Development J. Kim Fennell as CBO

Autonomous robotic solutions specialist, Kiwibot, has announced the appointment of J. Kim Fennell as its new Chief Business Officer (CBO).

An investor and advisory board member since 2020, he will be tasked with spearheading strategic partnerships, cultivating key commercial relationships, driving corporate development, and boosting revenue growth.

Fennell is the former Head of Business Development US & Canada and Global Technology Partnerships at Uber and a Corporate VP at Lucent Technologies. He was a CEO for 16 years at companies including deCarta, Pinnacle Systems, and StorageWay, and also has 21 years of board experience in organisations like Ritchie Bros, Bird Construction, and The C100.

"We are at a critical inflection point. We're experiencing tremendous growth and are actively pursuing strategic partnerships and potential acquisitions that will solidify our position as a leader in the rapidly evolving autonomous robots market," says Kiwibot CEO Felipe Chávez Cortés.

"This new CBO role is essential to capitalise on these opportunities. Kim is exactly who we've been looking for - a seasoned executive who can navigate complex negotiations with current partners like GrubHub, Sodexo, and Salesforce and forge new alliances that will expand our reach and accelerate our growth."

"I'm tremendously excited to be joining the Kiwibot team in a more active leadership role," comments Fennell. "For a long time, I've been impressed by the company's execution and progress, especially over the past year. I believe my experience in business development, sales, and strategic partnerships can be a beneficial addition at this point, and I look forward to making a significant impact as a member of the leadership team."

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Autonomous retail was a key focus area at the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering.