Etsy Announces Executive Changes, Depop DEI Updates
Etsy announced today that Nick Daniel is stepping down from his role as Chief Product Officer effective September 5, 2025 but will continue in an advisory capacity until October to help newly promoted Rafe Colburn get up to speed.
Colburn, who was previously VP Engineering at Etsy before becoming Chief Technology & Product Officer at subsidiary Depop, moved back to Etsy to take the CTO position in March after Rachana Kumar announced her transition out of the company last December.
Liz Morton
Now he'll be filling a dual role as both Chief Technology Officer and Chief Product Officer after Daniel's departure, according to a company press release.
BROOKLYN, N.Y., Sept. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Etsy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ETSY), which operates two-sided online marketplaces that connect millions of passionate and creative buyers and sellers around the world, today announced that Rafe Colburn, the company's current Chief Technology Officer, will expand his remit to Chief Product and Technology Officer, effective September 8, 2025.
In this new role, Colburn will now oversee the product and engineering organizations for the Etsy marketplace. He will report to Kruti Patel Goyal, Etsy's President and Chief Growth Officer, and remain part of the company's executive team.
This appointment follows the departure of Nick Daniel, who is leaving Etsy to pursue other opportunities. Daniel's last day as Chief Product Officer will be September 5, 2025, and he will remain with the company in an advisory capacity until October.
The Chief Product Officer is responsible for many of the buyer and seller experiences across the site, so it's no surprise that AI will be a major focus for Colburn as he takes on the role.
"Rafe truly understands the needs of the Etsy community, has a proven track record of scaling two-sided marketplaces, and motivates and inspires teams to deliver outstanding user experiences," said Etsy's President and Chief Growth Officer, Kruti Patel Goyal. "With this expanded scope, Rafe will play an even greater role in ensuring that we leverage technology in a way that translates to a seamless and differentiated shopping experience. I am confident in his ability to create a better experience for our customers and help Etsy reignite growth."
Colburn said, "Our unique inventory and the ability to connect with the person behind the item set Etsy apart from nearly any other marketplace. I'm incredibly excited to step into this expanded role at such a pivotal moment. We have a tremendous opportunity to harness AI and other emerging technologies to make the shopping experience even more personal, more intuitive, and more delightful—while staying true to what makes Etsy so special."
Etsy has recently rolled out new AI tools to help sellers compose messages to buyers, optimize their listing titles, and are exploring how context engineering can turn generic LLMs into highly specific answer engines with help from employee handbooks and the Etsy seller community forum - while also promising to keep human connection at the center of innovation in their newly published statement of AI principles.
Liz Morton
And in quieter news over on Depop, Drapers is reporting that director of sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion Justine Porterie has exited as the company "decouples" their sustainability and DEI structures (paywall).
Chloe Mills
