LOS ANGELES – Oct. 3, 2016 – BlackLine, a leading provider of financial controls and automation software solutions that enable Continuous Accounting, has appointed Karen Flathers as the company’s first Chief Customer Officer. Formerly vice president, Global Field Operations, at leading cloud enterprise software company Zuora, Ms. Flathers brings deep experience to BlackLine, including international expertise in ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and other Finance technology implementations. In her new role, Flathers will directly oversee the day-to-day functions of BlackLine’s Implementations, Support, Customer Success and Product Training departments.
At Zuora, Flathers had direct management responsibility for a team of nearly 100 people. Considered a problem solver by colleagues, she led field efforts to transform Zuora from a start-up to a pre-IPO mentality. Prior to Zuora, Flathers served as senior vice president, Services and Support, at utility services company Aclara. She began her career as a consultant at enterprise application software leader SAP, rising to the senior vice president level within 10 years.
“Karen is a `can do’ leader who will influence and drive cross-company collaboration on how to deliver the greatest possible value and success for our customers,” commented Therese Tucker, BlackLine CEO. “She is a highly energetic person with strong empathy for customers. We pride ourselves for always going the extra mile for our clients, and Karen’s management philosophy neatly aligns with our culture of innovation and hands-on collaboration.”
“I feel privileged to be part of a market-leading company and plan to build upon the company’s culture of customer success and commitment to service,” said Flathers.