Anywhere Real Estate Inc. announced the appointment of technology leader Rudy Wolfs as chief technology officer, effective Feb. 22.
Wolfs brings deep technology expertise in data, engineering, and product and systems development to the position, serving in senior roles at highly complex financial services firms as well as founding and leading multiple start-up companies to acquisition.
In his new role leading the company’s product and technology strategy, Wolfs will report to Anywhere President and CEO Ryan Schneider and serve on the company’s executive committee.
“Rudy is an incredibly experienced technology leader who brings innovation and entrepreneurship to his work, whether he’s launching a new digital company or helping large-scale organizations drive digital transformation,” Schneider said in a release. “He has a very successful track record of growing and attracting great technology talent, reimagining complex systems, and moving with speed to deliver strategic results. I am excited to work with Rudy as Anywhere continues to simplify the real estate transaction and drive growth.”
Wolfs most recently led a digital start-up company. Previously, he spent nearly a decade at Capital One, serving in senior transformational technology roles, including as chief information officer (CIO) for credit cards and small business. In 2000, Wolfs joined ING Direct USA, where he spent more than 12 years in technology and marketing leadership positions as the company scaled from start-up to supporting 8 million customers.
In his last role with ING, Wolfs served as the chief marketing officer and chief information officer. An avid technology innovator, Wolfs founded a business systems software company right out of school, and over his career launched, invested in and advised numerous start-ups.
“Anywhere is leveraging its unmatched scale, deep data access, and unique advantages to make the transaction experience easier for real estate entrepreneurs and small business owners, which given my background is an especially exciting opportunity,” Wolfs said. “The Anywhere product and technology team has made great progress, and I look forward to partnering with them, in collaboration with Anywhere business and brokerage leaders, to accelerate our digital transformation and deliver the future of real estate.”
The company also announced Melissa McSherry will step down as chief operating officer, effective Feb. 26. She will transition to a strategic advisor role with Anywhere starting April 1.
“I am proud of our ability to continue to attract innovative leaders who are drawn to the massive opportunity Anywhere has to positively impact the homebuying and selling experience for everyone,” Schneider continued. “I am also grateful for the tremendous contributions Melissa made during her time at Anywhere, and I appreciate her commitment to helping Rudy transition into his new role. I wish her great success as she moves to her next chapter.”