eBay hired Samantha Wellington as Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Secretary, replacing Marie Oh Huber. eBay CEO Jamie Iannone had announced Huber’s departure in March, writing that she was leaving the company to pursue a new chapter in her career and personal interests. Huber left eBay in June after nine years as General Counsel.
Wellington will oversee all global aspects of eBay’s legal department, including Government Relations, intellectual property, employment, litigation, regulatory and corporate work across eBay’s financial services, marketplaces, and product and technology organizations. She will report directly to Iannone and will join the company on October 7, 2024.
Among the challenges the new head of legal will face: eBay is “vigorously” fighting a lawsuit brought by the government over the Clean Air Act and other EPA laws. And as Iannone said in a keynote address at this week’s eBay Open conference, eBay is working to lobby Congress to change the proposed threshold for 1099K tax forms “to a more reasonable level that wouldn’t place an unnecessary burden on sellers,” he said. “Our work here, with your help, has helped persuade the IRS to twice delay the implementation of a lower reporting threshold,” he told sellers. “This is an ongoing challenge, and we continue to campaign for a more reasonable and permanent outcome.”
Wellington comes to eBay from TriNet where she was Executive Vice President of Business Affairs, Chief Legal Officer, and Secretary. According to yesterday’s announcement, “Her leadership focused on spearheading initiatives that address the evolving workplace dynamics for TriNet’s customers, facilitating capital access for small business owners, and enhancing customer service experiences to support business growth. Prior to TriNet, she spent 12 years at Oracle, where she held a number of senior legal positions.”
In the announcement, Iannone said of Wellington in part, “Samantha’s expertise will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and grow our global marketplace while ensuring we meet our legal and ethical responsibilities.”
Wellington herself was quoted in the announcement: “My parents started their business by selling skateboard parts at the open market in Sydney, so I have a deep appreciation for eBay’s role in empowering businesses of all sizes. As a longtime eBay user and collector, I am passionate about helping others unlock similar opportunities and connecting people with what they love.”
