Ring CEO Jamie Siminoff has announced he is stepping down, paving the way for Elizabeth (Liz) Hamren to replace him.
Siminoff founded Ring and has served as CEO, taking the company from a scrappy startup to one of Amazon’s leading divisions. The executive penned a blog post announcing his decision to step down from the top job and re-focus on his passion:
Invention is my true passion. I am constantly looking at how we can adapt to deliver for our neighbors, which is what we’ve always called our customers. This is why I decided to shift my role to Chief Inventor and bring on a new CEO.
Hamren has been tapped to replace Siminoff as CEO, bringing years of experience at Microsoft, Meta, and Discord:
Today, I’m excited to introduce our new CEO, Elizabeth (Liz) Hamren, who is joining us most recently from Discord where she is COO. Liz has a long history in consumer devices and subscription services, building and launching some of the most innovative and beloved consumer products from Oculus to Xbox and more. When she and I met eight years ago, Ring was so small and I hadn’t shared our mission with anyone except our team, mostly because no one would listen. Even then, Liz understood what I was feeling about the space: Our work wasn’t about trying to make a faster chip or shinier plastic, it was about changing the way neighbors think about security for the better. I’ve felt a kinship with her ever since, and I am honored and excited to have her join the team on this mission.
See also: Amazon’s Ring and Google Nest Give Footage to Police Without Warrants
Siminoff says this decision has been a long time in the making, first revealing the transition plan to employees in June 2022. At the time, Siminoff emphasized that the company would take the necessary time to find the right replacement, and he voiced his confidence that Hamren is that person.
Hamren Ring following a number of privacy and security scandals that have tarnished the company’s image. The tech industry in general, and Amazon specifically, are also facing greater legislative challenges and regulatory scrutiny, ranging from antitrust to privacy concerns.
