International Market Centers (IMC) announced that William B. “Bill” Furlong will join the company effective June 1 in a newly-created position as chief executive officer of Juniper, IMC’s new fully integrated omnichannel, B2B, e-commerce platform.
Furlong brings 25 years of digital innovation and leadership experience, including 11 years with Expedia Group that included oversight of the Americas business for the Vrbo/HomeAway vacation rental marketplace. During that time, he led teams that successfully developed industry-first digital tools for vacation rental management companies and powered a best-in-class digital marketplace for vacation rentals.
“We are thrilled to add such a seasoned digital executive with demonstrated talent and relatable expertise to the Juniper team,” said Bob Maricich, IMC chairman and CEO. “In January 2020, with the acquisition of two industry-leading SaaS solutions, we announced our intent to build best-in-class digital tools and e-commerce opportunities for the industry. We pledged to invest $100 million in a platform that would transform the industry through delivery of a unique B2B omnichannel ecosystem. Since then, we have recruited over 100 new hires including developers, product designers, sales reps and customer success teams, and we have launched several components of the Juniper software suite. Now, in our second year of development and approaching a major platform launch, the time is right to add an elevated leadership position with unique perspective and a bias for innovation and growth. Bill will be a tremendous asset to Juniper and to IMC.”
“IMC’s omnichannel vision is bold and compelling, and I am intrigued and energized by the opportunity that Juniper presents,” said Furlong. “My entrepreneurial experience at Escapia taught me that listening to the customer and developing thoughtful and iterative business solutions is at the heart of digital innovation. The Juniper team is executing a unique and well-designed omnichannel solution that will help buyers and sellers alike build even stronger businesses during a period of dramatic change. I look forward to being part of that evolution.”
