WorkWhile Names Simon Khalaf CEO as Company Enters Next Phase of Growth and Expands Into Worker Financial Services

WorkWhile (MQ) named Simon Khalaf CEO and moved Co-Founder Jarah Euston to President and COO as the company scales.

Rhea-AI Summary

WorkWhile (MQ) named Simon Khalaf CEO and moved Co-Founder Jarah Euston to President and COO as the company scales. The platform now serves more than 1.2 million U.S. workers and reports 110% growth in the past nine months. WorkWhile launched real-time pay with 91% opt-in within weeks.

The company emphasizes its AI-native platform to match labor supply and demand and is expanding into worker-focused financial services to support stability and income growth.

Positive

• 1.2 million U.S. workers on platform
• Growth of 110% in under nine months
• 91% opt-in for newly launched real-time pay

Negative

• Leadership transition may introduce short-term execution risk
• No financial results or forward guidance provided alongside growth metrics

Argus Feb 25 session

-7.21% close to close Open Argus

Details

News Market Reaction – MQ

On Feb 25, the day this news came out, MQ closed 7.21% below the previous close.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the Feb 25 session.

Key Figures

Workers on platform: more than 1.2 million Growth rate: more than 110% Real-time pay adoption: 91% of workers +1 more

Workers on platform

more than 1.2 million

WorkWhile U.S. workers served

Growth rate

more than 110%

WorkWhile growth in past nine months

Real-time pay adoption

91% of workers

Opted into WorkWhile real-time pay within weeks of launch

Experience

more than three decades

Simon Khalaf experience building and scaling media/technology companies

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Feb 24

5 events

1. Feb 24

   Q4 2025 earnings

   24h Move

   +1.7%

   Reported strong Q4 and full-year 2025 growth with improving profitability metrics.

2. Jan 09

   Earnings date set

   24h Move

   -1.7%

   Announced timing and details of upcoming Q4 and full-year 2025 results call.

3. Jan 07

   CFO appointment

   24h Move

   +0.0%

   Named new CFO with over 20 years of experience in tech, payments and finance.

4. Nov 05

   Q3 2025 earnings

   24h Move

   +0.5%

   Posted double-digit TPV, revenue and gross profit growth with solid margins.

5. Nov 03

   Partnership expansion

   24h Move

   -0.8%

   Expanded Klarna Card into 15 European markets using Marqeta’s issuing platform.

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

Key Terms

real-time pay, ai-native platform, proprietary ai

3 terms

real-time pay financial

"The company recently launched real-time pay, allowing workers to access their earnings"

Real-time pay is a payroll feature that lets workers access wages they have already earned immediately, rather than waiting for a scheduled payday, like being able to take money from a running tap instead of waiting for a monthly refill. For investors, it matters because offering or adopting instant-pay systems can reduce employee turnover and improve productivity but may change a company’s cash-flow needs, payroll costs and partnerships with payment providers, which can affect profitability and operational risk.

ai-native platform technical

""Jarah's leadership demonstrated what an AI-native platform can achieve," stated Simon Khalaf"

An ai-native platform is a software system built from the ground up around artificial intelligence models and data workflows rather than adding AI as an afterthought; it is designed to collect and organize large datasets, train and update models, and deliver automated decisions or predictions at scale. For investors, ai-native platforms can signal a company with potentially faster product innovation, lower operating costs, and stronger differentiation—like a factory designed for electric cars instead of one retrofitted—though success depends on data quality, execution and regulatory factors.

proprietary ai technical

"The platform utilizes proprietary AI to match labor supply and demand"

Proprietary AI is an artificial-intelligence system that a company owns or controls exclusively, built from its own data, code, or models rather than using public or shared tools. Like a secret recipe, it can give a business a unique product, cost advantage, or revenue stream, but also brings expense, upkeep and legal or ethical risks that investors watch because they affect future profits and competitive position.

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

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Co-Founder Jarah Euston transitions to President and COO; Platform surpasses 1.2 million workers

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- WorkWhile today announced a leadership transition as the company moves into its next phase of growth. Tech veteran and longtime board member Simon Khalaf has been named Chief Executive Officer. Co-Founder Jarah Euston will transition to President and Chief Operating Officer, where she will focus on scaling operations and accelerating expansion.

The transition comes at a moment of strength for the company. WorkWhile now serves more than 1.2 million U.S. workers and has grown more than 110% in the past nine months.

"Jarah's leadership demonstrated what an AI-native platform can achieve," stated Simon Khalaf, CEO of WorkWhile. "I am eager to contribute to the institutionalization of our growth, steering both financial stability to our workers and operational efficiencies to our customers."

Khalaf has served on WorkWhile's board since its early days and previously held executive roles at Marqeta (NASDAQ: MQ), where he was CEO, as well as leadership positions at Twilio, Yahoo, and Verizon. He brings more than three decades of experience building and scaling media and technology companies.

"I've worked alongside Simon for over a decade," said Jarah Euston. "He understands this company deeply. With him leading as CEO, I can focus fully on driving growth and ensuring we continue delivering for our workers and customers."

Expanding Beyond Paychecks

WorkWhile is also expanding into worker-focused financial services. The company recently launched real-time pay, allowing workers to access their earnings immediately. Within weeks, 91% of workers opted in.

The move reflects a broader vision: supporting workers not just with shifts, but with agents that help them manage and grow their income.

"While WorkWhile's native AI platform was built to provide people with income, our responsibility extends beyond just pay," said Khalaf. "Our goal is to help workers achieve stability and succeed in the current economic climate."

Growth Highlights

• 1.2 million U.S. workers on the platform
• 110%+ growth in under nine months
• AI-Native Efficiency: The platform utilizes proprietary AI to match labor supply and demand with a level of precision and speed previously unseen in the staffing industry.

About WorkWhile

WorkWhile is the first worker-first, AI-powered labor platform designed to solve the complexities of the modern workforce. By leveraging an AI-native architecture, WorkWhile connects businesses with high-quality hourly labor at scale, providing workers with better opportunities, and businesses with unparalleled efficiency.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/workwhile-names-simon-khalaf-ceo-as-company-enters-next-phase-of-growth-and-expands-into-worker-financial-services-302697389.html

SOURCE WorkWhile

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

Who is the new CEO of WorkWhile (MQ) and when was he named CEO?

Simon Khalaf was named CEO on February 25, 2026, replacing the prior leadership role. According to WorkWhile, Khalaf is a longtime board member bringing decades of scaling experience from Marqeta and other tech firms.

How large is WorkWhile's workforce platform as of February 25, 2026 (MQ)?

WorkWhile serves more than 1.2 million U.S. workers on its platform as of the announcement date. According to WorkWhile, this milestone accompanies reported growth exceeding 110% over nine months.

What was the worker adoption rate for WorkWhile's real-time pay (MQ) launch?

Within weeks of launch, 91% of workers opted in to real-time pay. According to WorkWhile, the rapid adoption underscores strong worker demand for immediate access to earned wages.

What role will Jarah Euston hold after the February 25, 2026 leadership change at WorkWhile (MQ)?

Jarah Euston will transition to President and Chief Operating Officer to focus on scaling operations. According to WorkWhile, she will concentrate on operational growth and customer delivery while Khalaf builds institutional processes.

How is WorkWhile (MQ) expanding beyond paychecks and what technology supports it?

WorkWhile is expanding into worker-focused financial services, including real-time pay and income-management agents. According to WorkWhile, these offerings are powered by its AI-native platform that matches labor supply and demand with high precision.