Rakuten Rewards Appoints New Chief Commercial Officer to Scale Revenue and Commercial Strategy

Rakuten Rewards appoints new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) as Carl Lurie Kalapesi steps into the role to lead the company’s revenue and commercial functions including sales, go-to-market strategy, site merchandising, revenue planning and strategic initiatives as the leading Cash Back shopping platform continues expanding its influence in performance marketing and loyalty solutions.

Rakuten Rewards, part of the global Rakuten Group and one of the most widely used cash-back platforms, announced the promotion on January 8, 2026, appointing Lurie Kalapesi following his successful tenure as Senior Vice President of Revenue. In this expanded role, he will be responsible for driving revenue growth and commercial execution as the company scales its offerings and strengthens partnerships across retail, travel, financial services and beyond.

Proven Leadership in Media, Advertising and Technology

Carl Lurie Kalapesi joined Rakuten Rewards in January 2024 as Senior Vice President of Revenue and quickly became instrumental in enhancing operational discipline and driving improved sales performance. Prior to Rakuten, he held senior commercial leadership positions at FreeWheel where he served as Chief Operating Officer and helped double revenue and reach profitability and at Yahoo! (formerly AOL/Verizon Media), bringing extensive media, advertising and technology expertise to his new role.

His broad background equips him to advance Rakuten Rewards’ strategic priorities transforming how the company partners with brands to connect with value-seeking consumers through personalized, performance-driven marketing and loyalty initiatives.

Strategic Vision for Commercial Growth

In his new capacity as CCO, Lurie Kalapesi will focus on strengthening Rakuten Rewards’ position as an indispensable partner for brand partners, leveraging Cash Back innovation, data-driven personalization and programmatic loyalty solutions that are designed to stretch marketing spend and deepen consumer engagement. One example of forward-looking innovation under his leadership includes Programmatic Loyalty, an AI-enabled solution that dynamically personalizes loyalty and incentives based on real-time shopper behavior and campaign performance.

His strategic emphasis on automation and data-driven commercial initiatives aligns with broader trends in e-commerce and digital marketing, where brands seek to reach and retain value-focused consumers in a fragmented landscape.

What This Means for Rakuten Rewards

Rakuten Rewards remains one of the most significant performance marketing platforms in the industry, offering millions of members Cash Back and rewards for purchases across thousands of brands. Lurie Kalapesi’s appointment reflects the company’s commitment to commercial innovation, customer experience and expanding relevance for brand partners seeking to drive discovery, loyalty and revenue through personalized marketing solutions.

Amit Patel, CEO of Rakuten Rewards and Rakuten International, emphasised that Kalapesi’s “unique blend of media, advertising and technology expertise” positions him to help the company build on its strategic momentum and make Cash Back an even more essential part of brand partners’ marketing mix in an increasingly AI-driven, personalized world.

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