Angi Hires Dhanusha Sivajee as CMO Following Rebrand

Internet services and home company Angi underwent a rebrand earlier this year. To help further guide the freshening up of the brand with a digital transformation, Angi is hiring Dhanusha Sivajee as chief marketing officer. Sivajee will oversee the company’s brand marketing vision, strategy and execution for both homeowners and pros. Born and raised in England to Sri Lankan parents who became business owners, Sivajee learned a lot as a kid, working "every type of business you can imagine from corner stores to gas stations to laundromats." Sivajee most recently was CMO of the Knot Worldwide (previously XO Group). She was with the company for nearly seven years. Sivajee's also worked as CMO at the AOL Brand Group and held senior-level marketing and content development roles at Bloomberg and HBO. “Dhanusha is the kind of passionate leader Angi needs to chart the future of the brand,” chief executive officer of Angi, Oisin Hanrahan said in a statement. “Dhanusha’s track record in building strong, engaging consumer brands makes her the perfect leader to continue the transformation of Angi from Angie’s List. She understands how to build a world-class, modern brand that reflects our value and resonates with homeowners and pros.” Coinbase Hires Facebook Vet Rouch as CMO to Polish the Brand’s Image Brand improvement Founded in 1995, Angi has been in a process of evolution since 2017 when the original Angie’s List and Homeadvisor merged together. Angi rebranded itself, changing its name in March, while redesigning the logo and website. Homeadvisor now goes by Homeadvisor powered by Angi. Initially, the site allowed users to rate home services like local plumbers and contractors. However, it has evolved into a one-stop shop where consumers can research contractors, compare quotes, book appointments and make payments. There is also an articles and advice section on the website that offers consumers tips on everything from bathroom remodels to waste management. Sivajee saw multiple opportunities that drove her interest in the position, including the importance of the home in the pandemic. "Home is the center of everything and it's become that much more important during these times of the pandemic," she told Adweek. "The opportunity to be able to impact and help 100-plus million homeowners really love where they live, and love the homes that they live in is a really special opportunity that you don't find." Another key opportunity was the growing home services industry. Surpassing $500 billion in market value, the chance for a digital transformation was another enticing draw for Sivajee, who played a significant part in the Knot's transformation from a media company to a two-sided marketplace. Though there are an immense amount of opportunities, Angi has seen its fair share of challenges recently. The company faces stiff competition from rivals such as Thumbtack, Houzz, Yelp and Porch Group. Angi earned $359.3 million in revenue for the fourth quarter of last year, but it also experienced a loss of $4.7 million. For the fiscal year of 2020, the company generated $1.4 billion in revenue, but saw a $6.4 million operating loss. A key factor in those losses was the Covid-19 pandemic. With more Americans vaccinated, there's a chance to recapture a market that had slowed during the pandemic. "Our pros have certainly gone through a very challenging time over the last 18 months with the pandemic," noted Sivajee. "We're turning the corner now. We're starting to see an increase in demand, and [the focus is] how we can support them so that they can give the best possible service to homeowners around the country." Aiming for millennial homeowners One of Sivajee's most proud accomplishments is her seven-year tenure at HBO. As director of affiliate and advanced product marketing, she steered the marketing of HBO product including HBO On Demand and HBO GO. With streaming and on demand from anywhere considered a new-age product over a decade ago, there was a fear with marketing that product. "The launch of HBO GO and really being able to talk about seeking functionality in a way that was on brand, that educated people on the benefits of this new digital viewing era," noted Sivajee. Now, she steps into a new domain where transformation is once again a central theme and creating a hub-like experience for consumers is central to the growth of the business. "Millennials are the fastest growing sector within homeowners," said Sivajee. "And this industry is ripe for disruption and transformation and Angi's right there. I'm excited to join the team."