January 23, 2024

Markaaz Expands Advisory Board with Three Accomplished Leaders

Markaaz, a global technology company dedicated to helping small businesses access vital services, is excited to introduce the addition of three highly accomplished industry leaders to its Advisory Board: Sarah Arana-Morton, Dr. Kathleen Pike, and Lisa Ward. These strategic leaders enhance Markaaz’s capabilities by contributing their specialized experience in market expansion, customer-centric strategy, and talent development. Their invaluable contributions will play a key role in advancing the company’s future growth, steering the evolution of our solutions to better support small businesses, and facilitating our global expansion.

Markaaz addresses a 40-year-old data challenge that has impeded the growth of small businesses. Leveraging proprietary data matching algorithms, we have established the world’s largest small business directory comprising over 300 million accurate records spanning 200 countries and territories. By providing a reliable global source for small business data, Markaaz transforms the processes by which enterprises, including banks, fintechs, insurers, governments, and retail companies, verify, onboard, and monitor small businesses on a mutually consented basis. This aligns with our mission to create an ecosystem where business owners can easily access crucial resources, capital, and opportunities essential for success.

The Advisory Board, working jointly with the management team, plays a key role in shaping Markaaz's strategic direction and international representation. Markaaz gains valuable expertise with the inclusion of Sarah Arana-Morton, Dr. Kathleen Pike, and Lisa Ward.

Sarah Arana-Morton, Former CEO of OpenCorporates and former Global Head of Commercial, dunnhumby

Sarah Arana-Morton brings over two decades of extensive experience in global market expansion and strategic leadership to her role on the Advisory Board. She has a proven track record of driving growth through innovative customer-centric strategies. Her in-depth knowledge will significantly contribute to shaping Markaaz’s strategic direction and the company’s international expansion.

Sarah said, "Joining Markaaz is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the global expansion of its unique data and technology solutions and its two-sided platform. What Markaaz has built is unique and solves long-standing industry challenges. I am excited to help advance commercialization into new international markets."

Dr. Kathleen Pike, President and CEO of One Mind at Work​ and Professor at Columbia University

Dr. Kathleen Pike, a distinguished expert in mental health and global public health, joins the Advisory Board with a wealth of knowledge in guiding organizations toward impactful solutions. As a respected authority in her field, she has dedicated her career to advancing mental health initiatives and fostering talent development. Dr. Pike’s extensive expertise will play a pivotal role in shaping Markaaz’s strategies, particularly in areas related to talent development and well-being while also supporting the development of how Markaaz engages its customers with human-centric solutions.

Dr. Pike shared, "I'm excited to join a company that embraces the importance of mental health in the workplace and is committed to having a major societal and socioeconomic impact. My experience in these areas has made me very excited about the impact we will have. I am also looking forward to enhancing how Markaaz creates data and technology offerings that are thoughtfully attuned to customer needs."

Lisa Ward, Managing Director, Board Services at ZRG Partners​

Lisa Ward brings a distinguished background in executive search and board advisory to her role on the Advisory Board. With a successful track record in identifying top-tier talent and advising boards on strategic leadership, Ms. Ward’s insights will be invaluable in enhancing Markaaz’s talent and board development strategies. Her extensive experience in board structuring and development will contribute significantly to shaping Markaaz’s strategic direction and fostering effective corporate governance.

"I am thrilled to be part of Markaaz's strategic growth. The company's commitment to working with proven leaders aligns with my background and passion for collaborating with industry innovators at all levels. I look forward to playing a role in this continued success and growth journey," said Lisa Ward.

Hany Fam, Founder and CEO of Markaaz, welcomed Sarah Arana-Morton, Dr. Kathleen Pike, and Lisa Ward, sharing “These world-class leaders will add substantially to our Advisory Board. Their diverse backgrounds and proven track records align perfectly with Markaaz's mission to build unique, industry-leading products and services that have a significant impact across global markets. Our new advisors will have an important part to play in our journey."

If you’re interested in learning more about Markaaz, please explore markaazstg.wpengine.com or connect with our team.

Are data gaps blocking your key customers?

Markaaz verifies 30% more businesses than competitors. Try our free match rate test.

Free data study

Offer valid through 12/31

Related articles