Yelp Names Vivek Patel as Chief Product Officer

Yelp Inc. (NYSE:YELP), the company that connects people with great local businesses, today announced the appointment of Vivek Patel to the newly created role of Chief Product Officer. Patel has a record of significant accomplishment in product development and management and extensive industry experience, including spending nearly 10 years leading Yelp’s product efforts. He most recently led the successful integration of Yelp’s consumer- and business-focused product efforts to drive user growth and maximize the Company’s revenue generation.

As Chief Product Officer, Patel will oversee all aspects of Yelp’s product management function, including design, data science, and user research, among other areas. In addition, as a member of the executive leadership team, Patel will ensure that the development of Yelp’s products is aligned with the Company’s strategic direction, especially its diversifying go-to-market strategy and focus on both business owners and consumers.

“Over the 14 years since our founding, Yelp has created the leading local internet destination for consumers with the help of a strong and dedicated team,” said Jeremy Stoppelman, co-founder and CEO of Yelp. “Our business-facing products are a central component of Yelp’s overall strategy. During his tenure at Yelp, Vivek has played an integral role in accelerating the diversification of our business products and enhancing our go-to-market strategies, specifically through the development of key products such as our self-serve platform, Request-A-Quote and Yelp Reservations, and the integration of Yelp’s partnership with GrubHub. Our products have been vital to creating revenue-generation opportunities by allowing business owners to access our engaged consumer base and by forging deeper relationships with our consumers through our transactions business. These products are the core of our long-term growth strategy, and we are thrilled to have Vivek lead us as we continue working to execute on that strategy.”

“I am honored to take on this important responsibility to help support and drive the Company’s product strategy moving forward. Growing up with and working alongside a family of restaurateurs and small-business owners has provided me not only with firsthand knowledge of the complexities of this industry, but also a deep and personal connection to Yelp’s business owners and an understanding of products that serve them effectively,” said Patel. “Yelp’s products are a significant part of our growth opportunity, and I am excited to continue working alongside our incredible team to unlock more value for consumers, advertisers and business owners, and achieve our full potential as a business.”