HiBid Names Ross Paul, Former CTO of Phillips and 1stDibs, as Chief Technology Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

HiBid, an online auction platform with over $2 billion in annual GMV, has appointed Ross Paul as Chief Technology Officer. Paul brings more than 20 years of auction and e-commerce experience, most recently as CTO of Phillips and previously as CTO of 1stDibs (Nasdaq: DIBS), where he led engineering from Series A through IPO.

According to HiBid, Paul will lead the engineering organization and drive modernization of the HiBid.com marketplace and its AuctionFlex seller system. His background includes senior roles at MLB Advanced Media and Lockheed Martin’s AI Laboratory, two U.S. patents in real-time classification and live data synchronization, and a degree in computational neuroscience from Cornell.

News Market Reaction – DIBS

+1.21%

3 alerts

+1.21% Session close to close

$159.29M Market Cap

0.3x Rel. Volume

In the Jul 29 session, DIBS gained 1.21%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction. Our momentum scanner triggered 3 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

Recent insider activity recorded Net Buying of 47,500 shares from CEO David S. Rosenblatt, providing...

Analysis

Recent insider activity recorded Net Buying of 47,500 shares from CEO David S. Rosenblatt, providing a platform-independent reference for the CTO appointment. The modernization mandate still carries execution risk; the record does not establish operating results from the appointment.

Key Figures

Industry experience: more than 20 years Annual GMV: over $2 billion U.S. patents: two U.S. patents +1 more

4 metrics

Industry experience more than 20 years Auction and e-commerce industries

Annual GMV over $2 billion HiBid platform

U.S. patents two U.S. patents Real-time classification and live data synchronization

Daily activity nearly a million times a day Visits to HiBid.com to buy or sell

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jul 14 (Neutral)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Jul 14	earnings scheduling	Neutral	+0.2%	Company scheduled its second-quarter 2026 financial results and webcast for August 5.
May 20	investor conference	Neutral	-3.0%	Company announced participation in the East Coast IDEAS Investor Conference.
May 13	community announcement	Positive	+2.0%	Company announced the 2026 1stDibs 50 honorees and related designer collections.
May 12	investor conferences	Neutral	+2.0%	Company announced participation in several upcoming investor conferences.
May 8	quarterly earnings	Negative	-4.0%	First-quarter results included year-over-year GMV and revenue declines.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

DIBS showed mixed reactions across the five selected events, including negative moves after Q1 results and an investor conference.

Key Terms

gmv, series a, real-time classification, live data synchronization

4 terms

gmv financial

"HiBid, one of the largest online auction platforms in North America with over $2 billion in annual GMV"

Gross merchandise value (GMV) is the total dollar value of all goods and services sold through a platform or marketplace over a given period, measured before deducting fees, returns, or discounts. Investors watch GMV to gauge the raw size and growth of customer activity—like counting every ticket sold at a concert before subtracting organizer costs—while remembering it is not the same as revenue or profit.

series a financial

"he joined as CTO at Series A and led engineering through the company's IPO"

Series A is the first major round of outside equity financing for a privately held startup, where professional investors buy ownership stakes in exchange for capital to help the company move from early proof-of-concept toward scalable operations. It matters to investors because it sets an early price for the company and signals market confidence; successful Series A investments can deliver large returns if the business grows, but they also carry high risk similar to backing a promising prototype that still needs development.

real-time classification technical

"two U.S. patents in real-time classification and live data synchronization"

A process that assigns labels or categories to incoming data instantly as it arrives, using automated rules or machine learning so items are identified without delay. Think of it like a postal sorter that stamps each letter with a destination the moment it enters the building. For investors, real-time classification matters because it shapes how quickly trading systems, risk monitors, or news feeds can recognize and act on events or trends in markets.

live data synchronization technical

"two U.S. patents in real-time classification and live data synchronization"

Live data synchronization is the continuous process of keeping copies of the same information identical across different systems, devices, or databases so updates made in one place appear everywhere almost immediately. Like multiple people editing the same spreadsheet and seeing each other's changes in real time, this ensures market data, trading records, and corporate disclosures stay aligned across platforms, which matters to investors because it affects the timeliness and reliability of the information they use to evaluate securities.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Paul brings more than 20 years of experience in the auction and e-commerce industries, most recently as CTO of Phillips and previously as CTO of 1stDibs (Nasdaq: DIBS), which he scaled from Series A through IPO.

LINCOLN, Neb. and CHICAGO, July 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- HiBid, one of the largest online auction platforms in North America with over $2 billion in annual GMV, today named Ross Paul as Chief Technology Officer. HiBid combines the HiBid.com online auction marketplace with AuctionFlex, its seller system of record. Paul will lead HiBid's engineering organization and the continued modernization of its platform.

At Phillips, Paul rebuilt the auction house's technology organization and core infrastructure, including a new bidding engine and mobile bidding app. At 1stDibs, he joined as CTO at Series A and led engineering through the company's IPO. Earlier in his career, Paul served as Vice President of Engineering at MLB Advanced Media, where he built real-time and live-streaming products for Major League Baseball, after beginning his career as a developer in Lockheed Martin's Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. He holds two U.S. patents in real-time classification and live data synchronization, and an A.B. with honors in Computational Neuroscience from Cornell University.

"Ross has built technology for some of the most respected names in the auction and marketplace world, and he understands what it takes to scale a platform without losing sight of the people who depend on it every day," said Pat McCusker, Chief Executive Officer of HiBid. "Bringing him on as CTO is a meaningful investment in the platform our thousands of sellers rely on."

"Nearly a million times a day, someone comes to HiBid.com to buy or sell something that matters to them. Good marketplace technology mostly gets out of their way, and that's the part I care about building," said Paul. "The scale is already here. Now the team and I get to build technology worthy of the people using it."

About HiBid

Founded in 2000, HiBid is one of the largest online auction platforms in North America, transacting over $2 billion in annual GMV across nearly 300 million annual sessions. The HiBid.com marketplace supports timed online, webcast, and absentee bidding formats, and pairs with AuctionFlex, the industry-leading auction management tool which acts as a system of record for cataloging, clerking, settlement, and reporting. HiBid is headquartered in Lincoln, Neb., and Chicago, Ill., and is backed by growth-oriented software investors Primus Capital and ParkerGale.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hibid-names-ross-paul-former-cto-of-phillips-and-1stdibs-as-chief-technology-officer-302837794.html

SOURCE HiBid

FAQ

Who is Ross Paul, the new CTO appointed by HiBid in July 2026?

Ross Paul is HiBid’s new Chief Technology Officer with over 20 years in auction and e-commerce technology. According to HiBid, he previously served as CTO of Phillips, CTO of 1stDibs (Nasdaq: DIBS), and Vice President of Engineering at MLB Advanced Media.

What experience does Ross Paul bring from 1stDibs (NASDAQ: DIBS) to his new role at HiBid?

Ross Paul joined 1stDibs as CTO at Series A and led engineering through its IPO. According to HiBid, this experience in scaling an online marketplace is directly relevant as he now leads HiBid’s engineering and platform modernization efforts.

How large is HiBid’s online auction business that Ross Paul will oversee as CTO?

HiBid reports over $2 billion in annual gross merchandise volume (GMV) on its platform. According to HiBid, Ross Paul will oversee engineering for the HiBid.com marketplace and AuctionFlex seller system supporting this transaction scale across North America.

What will be Ross Paul’s main responsibilities as Chief Technology Officer at HiBid?

Ross Paul will lead HiBid’s engineering organization and ongoing platform modernization. According to HiBid, he will focus on the HiBid.com marketplace and AuctionFlex seller system, emphasizing scalable, user-focused auction technology for buyers and sellers using the platform daily.

What technical background and education does HiBid’s new CTO Ross Paul have?

Ross Paul previously built real-time and live-streaming products at MLB Advanced Media and began his career in Lockheed Martin’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. According to HiBid, he holds two U.S. patents and an A.B. with honors in Computational Neuroscience from Cornell University.

Why did HiBid decide to hire former Phillips and 1stDibs CTO Ross Paul?

HiBid cites Ross Paul’s track record building technology for major auction and marketplace brands and scaling platforms. According to HiBid, bringing him on as CTO is described by its CEO as a meaningful investment in the platform relied on by thousands of sellers.