Amazon is reshuffling leadership of its third-party marketplace, a business that generated $42.5 billion last quarter, by promoting a nearly three-decade company veteran to oversee seller services while the current division head moves into the CEO’s inner circle.
Amit Agarwal will take charge of Amazon’s Selling Partner Services organization in addition to his existing role overseeing the company’s stores in 10 countries including India, Brazil, and South Africa. The move expands Agarwal’s responsibilities to include both seller services and customer trust operations, consolidating oversight of a business where independent sellers now account for 62% of units sold across Amazon’s platform.
Dharmesh Mehta, who currently runs the seller services division, will become CEO Andy Jassy’s technical advisor starting in March. The position functions as a leadership development role where executives work directly alongside the CEO. Amazon uses the role, sometimes called the CEO’s “shadow,” as a proving ground for future senior leaders. Jassy himself held the position under founder Jeff Bezos before eventually running Amazon Web Services and then becoming CEO.
Mehta’s tenure leading seller services focused heavily on combating counterfeits and fraud while expanding logistics, supply chain management, and generative AI tools available to third-party merchants. He made addressing seller complaints a priority, including ending Amazon’s controversial practice of “commingling” inventory from different sellers in warehouses, a change estimated to save brand owners $600 million annually.
Agarwal brings nearly 27 years of Amazon experience to the expanded role. He served as technical advisor to Bezos from 2007 to 2009 before launching Amazon’s marketplace in India in 2013. He joined Amazon’s S-team senior leadership group in 2020. Based in Seattle, Agarwal will report to Doug Herrington, who runs Amazon’s Worldwide Stores organization.
The leadership changes come as Amazon’s third-party marketplace faces increased regulatory scrutiny. A federal antitrust lawsuit includes allegations about how Amazon treats sellers on its platform, claims the company disputes. Despite legal challenges, the marketplace remains Amazon’s fastest-growing and most profitable business segment.
