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.
A Strategic Leadership Appointment at a Pivotal Growth Stage
Rakuten Rewards operates at the intersection of commerce, advertising, and loyalty, serving millions of members who actively seek value and savings while shopping across thousands of brand partners. As competition intensifies in performance marketing and consumer expectations evolve, the company is doubling down on leadership that can translate data, technology, and media expertise into scalable commercial growth.
By elevating Carl Lurie Kalapesi to the role of Chief Commercial Officer, Rakuten Rewards signals its intent to sharpen execution across its revenue engine while continuing to innovate how brands connect with high-intent consumers. The CCO role centralizes responsibility for commercial strategy, ensuring alignment between sales, marketing solutions, and long-term growth initiatives.
Kalapesi’s expanded remit positions him to influence not only near-term revenue performance but also the strategic direction of Rakuten Rewards’ commercial offerings as the platform adapts to an increasingly AI-driven, personalized marketing landscape.
Building on a Successful Tenure as Senior Vice President of Revenue
Kalapesi joined Rakuten Rewards in January 2024 as Senior Vice President of Revenue, where he quickly made an impact by introducing greater operational discipline, refining sales processes, and strengthening revenue performance across the organization. During his tenure, he worked closely with cross-functional teams to enhance go-to-market execution and deepen relationships with key brand partners.
His leadership helped align sales strategy with Rakuten Rewards’ broader mission: enabling brands to drive measurable results through Cash Back, loyalty incentives, and performance-based marketing solutions. By focusing on scalable revenue models and data-driven decision-making, Kalapesi played a central role in positioning the company for sustained growth.
The decision to promote him internally reflects confidence in his ability to lead at scale and reinforces the value of continuity as Rakuten Rewards enters its next phase of expansion.
Extensive Experience Across Media, Advertising, and Technology
Before joining Rakuten Rewards, Carl Lurie Kalapesi built a distinguished career across media, advertising, and technology—industries that increasingly converge in today’s digital commerce ecosystem. He previously held senior leadership roles at FreeWheel, where he served as Chief Operating Officer. During his tenure, he helped double company revenue and guided the organization to profitability, demonstrating his ability to drive both growth and operational efficiency.
Earlier in his career, Kalapesi held executive commercial roles at Yahoo!, formerly AOL and Verizon Media, where he gained deep experience in large-scale digital advertising, media monetization, and enterprise partnerships. His background spans traditional media, programmatic advertising, and technology-enabled revenue models, providing him with a well-rounded perspective on how brands allocate marketing spend and measure return on investment.
This diverse experience uniquely equips Kalapesi to navigate the evolving needs of Rakuten Rewards’ brand partners, many of whom are balancing customer acquisition, retention, and lifetime value in an increasingly fragmented digital environment.
Advancing Rakuten Rewards’ Commercial Strategy
As Chief Commercial Officer, Kalapesi will focus on strengthening Rakuten Rewards’ position as a must-have partner for brands seeking performance-driven growth. His mandate includes expanding revenue opportunities while ensuring that commercial offerings continue to deliver measurable value for advertisers and merchants.
A central pillar of this strategy is leveraging Rakuten Rewards’ Cash Back model, which aligns consumer incentives with brand performance objectives. By combining transactional data with personalization and advanced analytics, the platform enables brands to reach consumers who are actively shopping and motivated by value.
Under Kalapesi’s leadership, Rakuten Rewards aims to further evolve its commercial solutions to support deeper engagement, higher conversion rates, and more efficient use of marketing budgets—key priorities for brands operating in a cost-conscious environment.
Driving Innovation Through Programmatic Loyalty and AI
One of the most notable areas of innovation within Rakuten Rewards’ commercial roadmap is Programmatic Loyalty, an AI-enabled solution designed to dynamically personalize incentives and rewards based on real-time shopper behavior and campaign performance.
This approach represents a shift from static loyalty programs to adaptive, data-driven experiences that respond to individual consumer intent. By adjusting Cash Back offers and incentives in real time, Programmatic Loyalty helps brands optimize spend while delivering more relevant and engaging experiences to shoppers.
Kalapesi’s emphasis on automation and intelligence-driven solutions reflects broader industry trends, as marketers increasingly look to AI to improve efficiency, personalization, and performance measurement. As CCO, he will play a key role in scaling these innovations and integrating them more deeply into Rakuten Rewards’ commercial offerings.
Enhancing Value for Brand Partners
Rakuten Rewards has long positioned itself as a performance marketing platform that delivers clear, attributable results. With Kalapesi overseeing commercial strategy, the company aims to further enhance its value proposition for brand partners across multiple dimensions.
Brands benefit from access to a large, engaged member base that actively seeks savings and rewards. At the same time, Rakuten Rewards provides granular insights into shopper behavior, enabling partners to fine-tune campaigns and improve return on ad spend.
By aligning sales strategy, merchandising, and data-driven personalization, Kalapesi’s leadership is expected to help brands unlock incremental revenue while strengthening long-term customer loyalty—an increasingly critical metric in competitive retail and e-commerce markets.
Scaling Revenue Across Multiple Verticals
Rakuten Rewards’ commercial growth strategy extends beyond traditional retail. The platform continues to expand its footprint across categories such as travel, financial services, and emerging digital offerings, creating new revenue opportunities and diversifying its partner ecosystem.
Kalapesi’s experience working with large, complex organizations positions him to identify scalable growth opportunities across these verticals. By tailoring commercial strategies to the unique dynamics of each sector, Rakuten Rewards can deliver more targeted solutions that resonate with both brands and consumers.
This diversified approach helps mitigate risk while ensuring the platform remains relevant as consumer spending patterns and industry dynamics evolve.
Leadership Perspective From Rakuten Rewards
Amit Patel, CEO of Rakuten Rewards and Rakuten International, highlighted the strategic importance of Kalapesi’s appointment, noting that his “unique blend of media, advertising, and technology expertise” makes him well suited to lead the company’s commercial evolution.
Patel emphasized that as personalization and AI increasingly shape the future of marketing, Rakuten Rewards is focused on making Cash Back and loyalty solutions an integral part of brand partners’ marketing strategies. Kalapesi’s leadership is expected to help the company capitalize on these trends while maintaining a strong focus on customer experience and measurable outcomes.
Supporting Long-Term Growth and Market Leadership
Rakuten Rewards’ decision to appoint a Chief Commercial Officer reflects a broader commitment to long-term growth and market leadership. As performance marketing becomes more sophisticated, organizations require leaders who can bridge strategy, technology, and execution.
Kalapesi’s role will involve not only driving revenue but also shaping how Rakuten Rewards adapts to emerging technologies, regulatory considerations, and changing consumer expectations. By aligning commercial initiatives with the company’s broader vision, he will help ensure sustainable growth in a rapidly evolving marketplace.
The Role of Loyalty in the Modern Marketing Mix
Loyalty and rewards programs are increasingly viewed as strategic assets rather than promotional add-ons. Rakuten Rewards’ Cash Back model offers a compelling alternative to traditional discounting by rewarding consumers for behavior that directly benefits brands.
Under Kalapesi’s commercial leadership, the company is expected to continue integrating loyalty more deeply into the marketing mix, helping brands balance acquisition, retention, and profitability. This approach resonates with marketers seeking durable growth rather than short-term gains.
Looking Ahead: A New Chapter for Rakuten Rewards
With Carl Lurie Kalapesi stepping into the role of Chief Commercial Officer, Rakuten Rewards enters a new chapter focused on scaling revenue, deepening brand partnerships, and advancing commercial innovation. His appointment reflects confidence in his ability to lead at scale and guide the platform through its next phase of growth.
As the performance marketing and loyalty landscape continues to evolve, Rakuten Rewards is positioning itself to remain at the forefront by combining Cash Back incentives, data-driven personalization, and AI-enabled solutions. Kalapesi’s leadership will be central to translating these capabilities into sustained commercial success.
By aligning strategy, technology, and execution, Rakuten Rewards aims to reinforce its role as a critical partner for brands seeking to connect with value-driven consumers in an increasingly competitive and personalized digital economy.
Discover RevTech News for the latest updates on financial innovation and revenue-driven technology.
