Groupon hires former Amazon exec, 3 others

CHICAGO (AP) -- Online deals company Groupon Inc. has hired four new executives, including Robbie Schwietzer, who spent a decade at e-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc., as it works to resurrect its business after a long slump.

Schwietzer will be senior vice president of operations, which involves overseeing and expanding Groupon's business operations. He previously was vice president of Amazon Prime, the company's premium shipping service that also includes a book borrowing club and access to streaming videos.

Lisa Kennedy was named vice president and general manager of Groupon Reserve, the company's service that lets people book restaurant tables at a discount. She is the founder of Hopscotch, a daily deal site in India that focuses on kids' and baby items.

David Kerr was named vice president and general manager of home services and Hoke Horne will serve as vice president of global commercial finance.

The appointments come less than two months after Groupon named co-founder Eric Lefkofsky as permanent CEO following the ouster of Andrew Mason earlier this year. The beleaguered company now appears to be on an upswing. It reported stronger-than-expected second-quarter results in August and its stock price has doubled since spring.

Groupon's shares slipped 23 cents to $11.54 in midday trading. Earlier, the stock hit $12.31, not far from its 52-week high of $12.76.