Wilson is said to lead digital transformation and scale a new technology business that combines cloud innovation and ecommerce technology with ODP’s physical assets to transform how businesses buy and sell.
The ODP Corporation announced that it hired Prentis Wilson to further drive the company’s digital transformation, leading a new technology business focused on transforming B2B sourcing, purchasing, and supply chain for suppliers and buyers.
Wilson will be responsible for helping establish and scale the newly launched technology platform. The company believes that the addition of Wilson and the new ODP business positions the company to more fully participate in the $8 trillion (€6.63 trillion) B2B commerce market in the U.S.
Wilson has a track record of successfully building large-scale, disruptive, B2B technology businesses. He spent almost eight years at Amazon.com, Inc., where he launched Amazon Business and grew it to over $10 billion (€8.28 billion) in annual sales. Prior to joining Amazon, he held senior operations and B2B procurement roles at Cisco Systems, Inc. and Honeywell International, Inc. Most recently, he was the President of Boxed.com, a wholesale technology start-up.
“We are excited to have Prentis join us to help execute this next phase of our journey, as he brings proven experience, instant credibility, and deep know-how that is simply unmatched in the B2B procurement and eCommerce space,” said Gerry Smith, Chief Executive Officer of The ODP Corporation. “As we continue to evolve into a leading B2B company, having one of the world’s most innovative and proven leaders scale what can be one of our most valuable businesses is key to expanding our value proposition, driving innovation, and accelerating growth.”
“Rapid innovation in digital commerce and supply chain technology has created unprecedented opportunities for our customers, both buyers and suppliers alike,” said Wilson. “I’m thrilled to join the ODP team and excited to build this incredible new technology platform business. ODP’s transformational plan, B2B specific know-how, and strong physical assets uniquely positions us to improve the way businesses buy and sell.”
Wilson earned two Master of Science degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one in mechanical engineering and one in business administration from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.