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Alice Newton-Rex

VP, Head of Product, WhatsApp

Alice Newton-Rex is the Vice President and Head of Product at WhatsApp. She has an extensive background in product management and digital strategy, having previously served as the Chief Product Officer at WorldRemit, a startup focused on facilitating international money transfers, particularly for migrants in Africa and Southeast Asia. In her role at WorldRemit, she was instrumental in enhancing the user experience for both senders and recipients of money transfers.12

Before her tenure at WorldRemit, Alice worked in various capacities within the UK government, including as a Product Manager at the Government Digital Service, where she contributed to the development of the GOV.UK website. Her early career also included roles at the Ministry of Justice and the Cabinet Office, where she focused on digital strategy and service redesign.1

Alice holds a First Class BA in Classics from the University of Cambridge and was awarded the Henry Fellowship at Harvard for graduate study in International Development, Economics, and Computer Science.1 She is known for her commitment to user-centered design and has emphasized the importance of user feedback in shaping WhatsApp's features and services.2

Highlights

Jul 29 · linkedin

Booking.com is known for its world-leading expertise on using data and experimentation to iterate and enhance its product. But how does it make bigger bets?

About 4 years ago, Booking.com decided it was time to expand beyond accommodation, and start taking some bets. I spoke to Can Ulker about kicking off a new bet on package holidays - selling a bundle of flights + accommodation.

My favourite anecdote: To understand the market before getting started, he and his designer went undercover at travel agents - posing as a couple planning their honeymoon - to test out the offerings of offline competitors!

Lots of interesting insights in this one, but my top takeaways were:

  • Do not underestimate the end to end experience of a product. You’re not just building an up-front journey, you have to follow through and build for the cases when things go wrong.
  • Keep your eye on the competition: if you’re entering an existing market, users will always judge your product (price, speed, convenience) against the nearest alternative
  • MVPs are great, but if markets differ significantly for your product, be aware that your learnings and tech may not scale at the rate you want them to. Manage expectations accordingly.

The full post is here: https://lnkd.in/eg2uu8Jq

#tech #bigbets #data

Mar 2 · linkedin

Ukraine's State Emergency Services has launched a helpline on WhatsApp to send people information and critical news about the local situation and advice on how to stay safe.

To use the helpline, message https://wa.me/380676785917 then text the word почати (begin) to get started.

Related Questions

What are some of the biggest bets Alice Newton-Rex has taken at WhatsApp?
How did Alice Newton-Rex's role at WorldRemit prepare her for her position at WhatsApp?
What are Alice Newton-Rex's thoughts on introducing ads in WhatsApp Status updates?
How has Alice Newton-Rex's experience at GOV.UK influenced her product strategies at WhatsApp?
What are some of the key features Alice Newton-Rex has introduced at WhatsApp?
Alice Newton-Rex
Alice Newton-Rex, photo 1
Alice Newton-Rex, photo 2
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Location

Palo Alto, California, United States