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Kobo Executive Team
Michael Tamblyn
President & CEO
Michael is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Rakuten Kobo. Driving growth, profitability and international expansion in a fiercely competitive market, he combines a passion for reading with a deep focus on the hardware and software experiences that can make a customer’s reading life better. A passionate and engaging presenter and commentator, Michael speaks internationally on digital media, publishing and mobile technology and has been featured in the New Yorker, Wired, Canadian Business, National Post, Globe and Mail and the New York Times.
Michael has been a part of Rakuten Kobo’s executive team since its inception in 2009, and previously held the role of Chief Content Officer. Prior to joining Kobo, Michael was the founding CEO of the supply chain agency, BookNet Canada and co-founded Canada’s first online bookstore, Bookshelf.ca, purchased by Indigo Books & Music in 1998 to create Indigo.ca, where he served as VP of Online Operations.
Michael holds a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario.
Anna Giagkou
CFO
Anna Giagkou is the Chief Financial Officer at Rakuten Kobo, responsible for the company’s financial management and accountability, as well as guiding future growth. In her role overseeing the finance team, Anna oversees the financial strategy, performance, and growth across all business pillars.
Prior to joining Rakuten Kobo, Anna was the Chief Financial Officer at Cox Automotive Canada, where she was responsible for the development of financial strategies, supporting optimization of operations, managing and reporting finances and driving results across all lines of business. Anna holds a CPA, CMA designation and serves on a number of boards, including Senior Persons Living Connected (SPLC).
Trevor Hunter
CTO
Trevor is the Chief Technology Officer at Rakuten Kobo, and is responsible for the innovative technology behind all facets of Kobo’s world-class eReading service. He oversees the engineering practice that holds quality and innovation in high regard, while always keeping the key focus on what customers want and need in a digital reading ecosystem. Previously, Trevor held the role of Enterprise Architect at Rakuten Kobo, where he devised actionable strategies to support the company’s business goals by employing best practices, while ensuring development and operational reliability for internet-scale architectures.
Prior to joining Rakuten Kobo, Trevor held various roles at Infusion, where he grew his experience as a trusted advisor through his work across a diverse set of verticals including retail, travel & hospitality, and financial services.
Trevor holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Ulster.
Marianne Hamilton
CMO
Marianne Hamilton is the Chief Marketing Officer of Rakuten Kobo. Responsible for the entire customer journey, from acquisition and retention to ebook, audiobook and eReader sales, she applies an integrated marketing discipline to deliver brand and business growth. Marianne is a dynamic leader and strong collaborator who motivates diverse teams toward improving reading lives, based on our core belief that life is better with books.
A communications professional with a certificate in media and advertising, Marianne worked agency-side doing public relations, social media and product marketing for several Fortune 500 companies. She also led Canada's marketing organization for Motorola during the advent of Android smartphones. Marianne joined Rakuten Kobo in 2012 to increase the company's marketing and sales impact through its global network of retail partners.