Rakuten Rewards Elevates Carl Lurie Kalapesi to Chief Commercial Officer

New CCO Taps Deep Ad Tech and Media Expertise to Expand Rakuten Rewards' Critical Role in the Modern Marketing Mix

SAN MATEO, Calif., Jan. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ --  Rakuten Rewards, the leading Cash Back shopping platform, today announced the promotion of Carl Lurie Kalapesi as its chief commercial officer. In this pivotal role, Lurie Kalapesi will lead the company's revenue and commercial operations, encompassing sales, commercial strategy and go-to-market, site merchandising and operations, revenue planning, and strategic revenue initiatives.

Lurie Kalapesi initially joined Rakuten Rewards in January 2024 as senior vice president of revenue, where he quickly made a significant impact on top-line performance and long-term business transformation. Over the past year, he has adeptly guided the revenue team to enhance operational discipline and go-to-market execution, driving improved sales performance.

Lurie Kalapesi has been instrumental in several key initiatives that have significantly strengthened the company's value proposition for brands looking to reach value-seeking consumers in an increasingly fragmented marketing ecosystem. These include the launch of Programmatic Loyalty — an AI-powered solution for driving personalized loyalty at scale, with Cash Back rates and exposure dynamically based on shopper behavior, sales trends, and ongoing campaign performance. He also spearheaded the introduction of new revenue-driving products across e-commerce and retail media and expanded Rakuten's partners beyond traditional retail into travel, financial services, and B2B sectors.

"Carl brings a unique blend of media, advertising, and technology expertise, and possesses a deep understanding of the dynamic priorities of modern marketers. His appointment as chief commercial officer officially recognizes his profound impact and leadership at Rakuten Rewards," said Amit Patel, chief executive officer of Rakuten Rewards and Rakuten International. "We are on a mission to leverage the unparalleled power of Cash Back as the most effective marketing tool, combined with sophisticated personalization and targeting, to help brands win loyalty from value-seeking new and existing customers wherever they shop. In an increasingly AI-driven and fragmented world, Carl's expertise and passion make him uniquely qualified to make Rakuten Rewards a critical and indispensable part of our brand partners' wider marketing mix."

"I'm honored to officially step into this role as we work to solidify our position as an indispensable partner in delivering value to our partners and as the most rewarding way for our members to shop," said Lurie Kalapesi. "My strategic focus will be on strengthening our position as a performance marketing leader by leveraging automation, data-driven personalization, and loyalty solutions that will help our partners engage the most difficult-to-reach value-seeking consumers wherever they shop in a cost-effective way. I'm incredibly proud of what this team has built and look forward to scaling how we serve our brand partners, while also fostering deeper collaborations with the broader ad tech and marketing community."

Prior to joining Rakuten Rewards, Lurie Kalapesi was chief operating officer at FreeWheel, where he was instrumental in doubling revenue over three years and leading the company to profitability. He also held senior leadership roles at Yahoo! (formerly AOL/Verizon Media), the Internet Advertising Bureau, and Boston Consulting Group, bringing a wealth of experience from across the media, advertising, and technology sectors.

About Rakuten Rewards
Rakuten is the most rewarding way to shop, giving millions of members Cash Back when they buy from their favorite brands. As a leading shopping platform, Rakuten partners with thousands of top brands across apparel, beauty and wellness, grocery, travel, on-demand services, subscriptions, and dining, helping members save on everyday purchases. Since 1999, Rakuten members have earned more than $4.6 billion in Cash Back, making it the largest Cash Back platform of its kind. Learn more at Rakuten.com.

Rakuten® is a registered trademark of Rakuten Group, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. © 2026 Ebates Performance Marketing, Inc.

Media Contact:
Rakuten
Steven Shaw
[email protected]

SOURCE Rakuten Rewards