Québec City-based artificial intelligence (AI) startup Coveo is making significant changes to its C-suite.
Its long-time CFO and corporate secretary Jean Lavigueur is retiring from his position, and will be succeeded by Brandon Nussey, who has served as a finance and operations executive for several public Canadian tech companies.
Lavigueur helped lead Coveo to go public on the TSX in 2021, where it raised $215 million.
Nussey is joining Coveo following his departure from Lightspeed earlier this month, where he most recently served as its COO. At that time, Lightspeed said it was Nussey’s decision to leave the startup, adding that he indicated plans to explore new opportunities more closely aligned with his professional roots as CFO.
Nussey first joined Lightspeed in 2018 as CFO, leading its initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 2019, and subsequently on the New York Stock Exchange in 2020. He later shifted to Lightspeed’s COO in 2022.
Prior to his career at Lightspeed, Nussey also worked as CFO for D2L, departing in 2018 before the edtech startup filed for its IPO on the TSX in 2021. He was also CFO at Descartes Systems Group, which had already been publicly listed on the Nasdaq and TSX before he joined.
Nussey starts his new role as Coveo’s CFO on May 1, and Lavigueur will transition into a senior advisor role. Lavigueur will also remain involved in all matters relating to Coveo’s fiscal year ending March 31, including supporting Nussey with Coveo’s 2023 year-end earnings cycle.
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Lavigueur is leaving his role at Coveo after a 17-year tenure, where he completed several strategic acquisitions and partnerships as part of Coveo’s growth plans. He also helped lead Coveo in going public on the TSX in 2021, where it raised $215 million.
Lavigueur has an extensive background in the tech industry, having served as CFO across a number of software companies. In the past, he worked as CFO for Berclain Group, which was acquired by Baan. In addition, Lavigueur has a history in entrepreneurship, co-founding talent and human capital management software provider Taleo Corporation in 1999. Taleo ended up being acquired by Oracle in 2012 in a deal worth $1.9 billion USD.
Coveo CEO Louis Têtu said that Lavigueur contributed “immensely” to the company’s success, notably by helping to build out the startup’s product suite, its strong balance sheet, and its workforce of over 720 employees.
“I am privileged to have had the opportunity to work with him over the last 30 years, including these last 17 years at Coveo,” said Têtu. “He will be missed by all, and we wish him all the best in his retirement.”
Featured image courtesy Lightspeed.