‘Life is short’: Klarna UK boss Alex Marsh departs buy now pay later firm following family tragedy

Klarna’s UK boss Alex Marsh has left the company.

Marsh, who joined the Swedish buy now pay later big hitter in 2018, said in a LinkedIn post, dated 19th May: “After an amazing rollercoaster journey over the past five years this week marks my last at Klarna.”

“I could never have guessed those first meetings with Michael Rouse (former Group Chief Revenue/Commercial Officer) and Luke Griffiths (Global Chief Commercial Officer) back in the summer of 2018 discussing the possible acquisition of Close Brothers Retail Finance by Klarna could have led to so much.”

He added: “Being part of a very special UK team growing our consumer base from 1.5 million to a staggering +18 million - plus countless learning opportunities (the terror of live TV at the crack of dawn), unique experiences, I couldn’t have dreamed of (meetings at Downing Street and on Capitol Hill), and of course working with so many incredible people. I can honestly say this time at Klarna has been nothing short of phenomenal.”

Marsh noted that the past year has “brought home that life is short, with the sudden and devastating loss of my wife’s wonderful sister Catherine.”

“Amongst all the sadness this experience has underlined the importance of prioritising what matters most - our family and loved ones. With mixed emotions it’s time now for the next chapter.”

He also stated his belief that Klarna will “continue to trail blaze in the world of payments, shopping and banking.”

OnBuy

UK online marketplace OnBuy recently launched Klarna Pay Now, Pay in 30 Days and Pay in 3 across 35 million+ products.   

The e-commerce firm said that this was a response to increased consumer demand for a wider range of payment options.

A recent survey conducted by the online marketplace showed that one in three people choose to shop with a retailer because they offer their preferred payment method.  

Cas Paton, CEO at OnBuy, commented “We’re committed to giving consumers the shopping experience they want. Our customers have asked for the flexibility to make purchases in a way that suits them, and we’re excited to be able to respond by launching Klarna across our site.”

“The introduction of more payment options also benefits our sellers, as more choice for our customers ultimately results in more sales overall.”