Ben Chestnut, co-founder of Atlanta-based email marketing company Mailchimp, announced today he is stepping down as the company’s CEO after 21 years. He plans to stay on with the company in an advisory role.
The decision comes nearly a year after Intuit, which offers financial services including QuickBooks, TurboTax and Credit Karma, purchased Mailchimp.
The new CEO will be Rania Succar, senior vice president of QuickBooks Money Platform.
Chestnut sent a letter to Mailchimp employees today, Aug. 10, and posted his announcement on social media.
“Over the last 21 years as Mailchimp’s CEO, I’ve developed a strong sense of timing. Now is the right time for me to take a step aside and evolve my role, and Rania is the right leader for this team and our customers at this moment,” he said in the letter.
Chestnut said he will remain on Mailchimp’s leadership team “helping drive product innovation and staying close to this brand I love.”
“My role will continue to evolve over time, but some of the things I’m looking forward to are helping recruit great talent, speaking at events, representing the Mailchimp brand in the Atlanta and entrepreneurial communities, and working with leaders to motivate teams and inspire creativity,” he said.
Founded in Atlanta in 2001 and headquartered at Ponce City Market, Mailchimp announced in 2020 that it would become an anchor tenant at the new Fourth Ward mixed-use development under construction along the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail.