PledgeMe Appoints New CEO
This morning crowdfunding platform PledgeMe announced its appointment of Dr Claire McGowan as CEO.
"With her Te Arawa iwi roots, we believe she is the first Māori CEO of an equity crowdfunding platform, and possibly one of the first indigenous leaders of equity crowdfunding in the world" says PledgeMe co-founder Anna Guenther.
McGowan has a background in venture capital and finance, a PhD in microbiology, and an MBA. She is the former CEO of the New Zealand business incubator, Soda.
“I'm personally so excited that PledgeMe will continue to have a woman at the helm, and hope it will encourage other companies to do the same.” says Guenther.
PledgeMe is the only equity crowdfunding platform to have a female CEO in New Zealand and Australia, and possibly the world. Earlier this year, it revealed that over 60% of its crowdfunding campaigns were female-led.
McGowan, who started at PledgeMe on
Monday, said “Working with an inspiring young female
entrepreneur to grow her financial services venture to the
next level is a rare opportunity, and I am looking forward
to
contributing."