Daversa Partners Recruits Chief People Officer for Bloom and Wild

May 26, 2022 – Daversa Partners, which helps build leadership teams for growth and venture-backed companies, has assisted in the recruitment of former Facebook executive Fiona Mullan as the chief people officer of online flower retailer Bloom & Wild. “Congratulations to the team at Bloom & Wild on naming Fiona Mullan as the company’s first chief people officer,” said Wendy Colvano, managing director and head of Europe for Daversa Partners, who led the assignment. “Fiona brings 20-plus years of diverse experience in HR, and will continue to prioritize hiring as the company seeks to extend its position as the European market leader in online flower delivery. “

Bloom & Wild’s chief executive officer, Aron Gelbard, said that Ms. Mullan will be a critical part of the company’s continued expansion. “Fiona’s expertise and experience with global tech giants will guide us as we progress our ambitious growth plans,” he said. “Our culture and our people define Bloom & Wild and as we continue to grow, it is essential that we nurture them and invest in what we cherish most.”

“The appointment of our first chief people officer is a real coming-of-age moment for Bloom & Wild as we continue to invest across the business and build out our teams,” he added.

Strong Experience

Ms. Mullan was previously chief people officer for Ding.com. Before that, she was  vice president for international HR at Facebook. She also served as head of HR EMEA for the social media company. Ms. Mullan worked for more than nine years at Microsoft, where she served as senior HR director Asia-Pacific and before that, international staffing director and, earlier, HR director. She was also HR director, government, U.K., Ireland, Nordics for Accenture.

Ms. Mullan will be modelling the company’s transformation to remote and hybrid working and will be working remotely herself, supporting teams across all 10 European locations, according to Retail Gazette, a London-based retail news website. “Being part of the Bloom & Wild growth journey is a natural next step, bringing together my experience of building culture-led, agile organizations internationally, with the opportunity to join a company with a compelling purpose, at a key growth stage,” she said.

Rapid Growth

“I’m really excited to be part of building a company which truly understands the power of human connection, a company with a welcoming and supportive culture that invites diverse perspectives and a team that cares wildly about delivering brilliant experiences for our customers across Europe,” Ms. Mullan added.

Bloom & Wild said it is looking to make 100 new hires this year. Tech, data, and business intelligence are key areas for expansion, with more than 20 new roles planned in such disciplines, according to Retail Gazette.

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“The DTC retailer, which is understood to have surpassed £100m revenue last year, has tripled its headcount over the past three years to 425 and has been on an expansion trail in recent years,” said the retail website. “It snapped up Dutch rival bloomon and French player Bergamotte last year, which has seen the retailer run three brands across eight countries with staff based across London, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, and six fulfilment centers across Europe.”

Founded in 2013, Bloom & Wild has raised £126m of venture capital and private equity funding from investors including General Catalyst, Index Ventures, Burda Principal Investments, and MMC Ventures. The company has been named one of the five fastest growing tech companies in Europe and has been listed among Tech Nation’s Future Fifty. Together, Bloom & Wild, bloomon, and Bergamotte are active in eight countries.

Growth Stage and VC Recruiters

Daversa Partners, founded in 1993, builds executive teams for growth stage and venture backed companies. Its global footprint spans two continents and eight offices, giving its teams visibility into the entirety of the market. Daversa is dedicated to developing meaningful relationships with entrepreneurs, executives and investors across consumer and enterprise businesses. In addition to its primary location in Westport, Conn., the firm has offices in New York; San Francisco; Washington, D.C.; Orlando, FL; London; and Waterford, Conn. where the firm maintains a data and people analytics facility.

Ms. Colvano, a founding member of Daversa’s international practice, joined the firm in 2015. She moved from Manhattan to London five years ago, working with some of the most disruptive start-ups across Europe. She has made VP-C-level placements for Deliveroo, Farfetch, Coupang, Zego, Bloom & Wild, and Trade Republic, among other companies.

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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media