Could consumers be persuaded to snatch up DNA sequences as must-have accessories? With former Gilt Groupe President Andy Page in a new leadership role, 23andMe might be able to swing that.
The personal genetics company began late last year offering its Personal Genome service for $99 and set a goal to serve 1 million customers in 2013. CEO and cofounder Anne Wojcicki told Kara Swisher at All Things D that “with 1 million people we really become the tipping point for molecular medicine.”
But with Page in the newly created position of president, 23andMe is looking less like a healthcare company, and more like an e-commerce brand. As Swisher reports today, Page says that “the common denominator with all these jobs is the scaling of consumer-aimed business that is breaking into a transformative market.”
In his two years as CFO and then president of the online luxury goods retailer, Page “helped turn Gilt from a company that was losing $60 million per year to one that is now approaching overall profitability,” TechCrunch reported upon his departure in January. Previously, Page helped sell the concert and sports ticket sales site StubHub to eBay, and helped run the mobile social gaming company PlayPhone.
23andMe says that Page, who joined the company’s board last year, will oversee strategy and operations. He will report to Wojcicki, who will lead the research organization and shape long-term vision.
