Zillow has made two key hires as it expands its presence in the mortgage industry.
Former Amazon Vice President of Finance Allen Parker has been hired as Zillow’s CFO, replacing Jennifer Rock, who served as the interim CFO after Kathleen Philips announced she was retiring earlier this year.
Parker's appointment demonstrates Zillow’s ambition as it presses forward in the mortgage industry. Earlier this year, Zillow took the industry by storm when it launched “Zillow Instant Offers,” allowing home sellers in certain markets to receive home offers directly from the company.
Then Zillow acquired Mortgage Lenders of America earlier this month and it was clear they had made their first official move into the mortgage industry.
Zillow Group CEO Spencer Rascoff said Parker will be a significant contributor to Zillow’s long-term success as the company continues to grow.
“We are at a pivotal moment in Zillow Group’s growth, as we move into new businesses such as mortgage origination and real estate transactions,” Rascoff continued. “Allen’s expertise is exactly what we need to take the company to the next level.”
Parker has about 30 years of experience in deep operational finance but spent the last 13 years in finance positions at Amazon. Prior to Amazon, Parker was CFO and VP of strategic planning at Trane Residential Systems, leading finance and strategy.
“I am thrilled to join Zillow Group’s leadership team and look forward to bringing my financial and operational expertise to the team to assist the company as it grows,” Parker said. “It is truly an exciting time of innovation and transformation for the real estate industry, and Zillow Group is leading the way.”
Zillow has also brought on Olly Downs, former founder of Amplero, as its senior director of artificial intelligence. Downs will report to VP of Artificial Intelligence Jasjeet Thind, where he will lead AI-focused applied science and engineering, driving home valuation and marketing technology, according to a report in GeekWire.
