Amazon has appointed a new leader to oversee its Selling Partner Services division, a critical part of the business. The current head of the division will transition to become CEO Andy Jassy’s next technical advisor.
Amit Agarwal, who currently serves as the SVP of International Emerging Stores at Amazon, will take on additional responsibilities to lead the seller services and customer trust organizations. This expansion of his role comes as he continues to oversee Amazon’s operations in various countries, including India, Brazil, and South Africa.
The current VP of Worldwide Selling Partner Services, Dharmesh Mehta, will transition to the role of technical advisor to CEO Andy Jassy in March. This position, often referred to as the CEO’s “shadow,” has been a stepping stone for senior leaders within Amazon.
Jassy himself served as a technical advisor to Jeff Bezos before taking on the role of CEO. The current technical advisor to Jassy, Alex Dunlap, will move to a new leadership position within Amazon.
Amazon’s third-party marketplace continues to be a significant revenue driver for the company, generating $42.5 billion in revenue in the last quarter. Independent sellers account for a majority of the units sold on the platform, highlighting the importance of the Selling Partner Services division.
Despite its success, the third-party marketplace has faced regulatory challenges, including antitrust scrutiny. Amazon has been accused of unfair treatment of third-party sellers, leading to a federal antitrust lawsuit with various allegations.
Under Mehta’s leadership, Selling Partner Services has made strides in combating counterfeits and fraud while introducing new tools and services for sellers. Mehta’s focus on addressing seller concerns has led to significant improvements, such as discontinuing the practice of commingling inventory from different sellers.
With nearly 27 years of experience at Amazon, Agarwal brings a wealth of knowledge to his new role. He previously served as a technical advisor to Jeff Bezos and played a key role in launching Amazon’s marketplace in India. As a member of Amazon’s senior leadership group, Agarwal will report to Worldwide Amazon Stores CEO Doug Herrington.
