Pax8 names Avery Moon Chief Technology Officer for AI push

Pax8 has appointed technology executive Avery Moon as its new Chief Technology Officer, as the cloud marketplace operator advances plans for an AI-driven platform aimed at small and mid-sized businesses.

Moon will lead the company's global engineering vision and strategy. He will report directly to Chief Executive Officer Scott Chasin.

Pax8 operates a cloud commerce marketplace that connects managed service providers, software vendors and small businesses. The company is investing in what it describes as an AI-led "operating system" for the intelligent small business, with a focus on managed intelligence providers.

Announcing the appointment, Chasin said the company is entering a new phase of technology development around its marketplace and AI ambitions.

"I am confident that Avery will imagine, innovate and deliver on the strategy we have set in motion as an AI-driven Marketplace that empowers small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs)," said Chasin. "Avery will be instrumental in evolving the Pax8 Marketplace into the new operating system for the intelligent SMB. His track record of success and leadership has proven he's the perfect fit and will drive Pax8 to new levels of success globally."

The company said Moon's remit includes translating its product-led and agent-driven vision into execution. Pax8 describes this as the next stage in the evolution of its marketplace and AI infrastructure.

Scale-up background

Moon joins Pax8 with a background in scaling technology firms from early-stage growth through to public listings and acquisitions. He has held senior engineering and science leadership roles across both start-ups and large enterprises.

According to Pax8, Moon has helped take companies from product-market fit through initial public offering or acquisition on four occasions. He has worked at organisations that grew revenue to more than USD $1 billion twice. He has overseen products that now have more than one billion users worldwide.

His previous roles span technology firms including LinkedIn, Wealthfront and Climate. He has also held positions at large multinationals such as jobs site Indeed and life sciences and pharmaceuticals group Bayer.

Moon has led teams delivering products in major economies including the United States, Germany, Japan and India. Pax8 said this international experience will underpin its plans for global expansion of its marketplace and AI offerings for small businesses.

AI and 'managed intelligence'

The appointment comes as Pax8 emphasises managed intelligence as a focus area. The company works with more than 47,000 managed service providers worldwide and provides software and services for small and mid-sized businesses.

Pax8 said its marketplace links partners, vendors and small businesses through AI-based insights and product support. It aims to increase customer acquisition and software consumption across this ecosystem through a more automated and intelligence-driven approach.

Moon said he views the market as entering a new phase for artificial intelligence in business software.

"Pax8's vision for where the industry is headed, and a corresponding strategy to deliver scalable managed intelligence, inspires and energises me. We are now at the productivity inflection point for AI, where intelligence is shifting from being embedded in tools to being delivered through autonomous, outcome-driven systems," said Moon. "I'm thrilled to join Pax8 to continue the momentum and technical prowess built over the last decade to deliver the most effective and efficient infrastructure to empower SMBs and managed intelligence providers (MIPs)."

Technical and academic profile

Moon holds degrees in industrial and computational mathematics, economics and business administration from the University of Arizona. He graduated summa cum laude with honours and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Pax8 noted his mix of technical, economic and business training as relevant for its work at the intersection of cloud marketplaces, software distribution and AI-based decision systems.

Outside of his professional roles, Moon is a keen traveller and outdoor enthusiast. He enjoys hiking and skiing with his family.

Pax8 said Moon's appointment marks a significant step in its effort to define and execute its engineering roadmap for an AI-driven marketplace and operating system for small and mid-sized businesses.