Bestow appoints new CMO as it expands its platform and deepens partnerships. Dallas-based Bestow said Meagan Ward strengthens its senior leadership team as the company expands its "product offerings, platform capabilities, and strategic partnerships" following the 2025 close of its $120 million Series D round. Bestow CMO Meagan Ward [Composite image: Photo, Bestow; Background DI Studio] Dallas-based Bestow, a leading insurance technology platform, has appointed Meagan Ward as its new chief marketing officer. Ward will spearhead building Bestow's brand and elevating its advanced innovation capabilities as life insurers work to modernize and scale, the company said. Bestow said Ward strengthens its senior leadership team as the company expands its "product offerings, platform capabilities, and strategic partnerships" following the 2025 close of its $120 million Series D round led by Goldman Sachs and Smith Point Capital. Ward is an accomplished marketing and communications executive with more than 15 years of experience building category-defining brands at the intersection of AI and SaaS, Bestow said. She joins the company after more than seven years at Addepar, an NYC-based wealth and asset management platform valued at more than $3 billion, where she most recently served as CMO and scaled the marketing and communications functions across every stage of the company's growth, Bestow said. Earlier in her career, she led communications at Qventus, an AI-powered hospital operations platform, and The Hatch Agency, where she supported high-growth technology companies through their most critical growth and reputational moments. "As Bestow expands its platform and deepens partnerships with carriers, building a strong, recognizable brand is as important as the technology itself," Melbourne O'Banion, CEO and co-founder of Bestow, said in a statement. "Meagan has a proven track record of doing exactly that - establishing platforms like ours as clear leaders in their markets - and we're excited to have her drive that work at Bestow." Bestow said that Ward will oversee all marketing and communications, with a focus on establishing the company as the definitive platform powering the future of life insurance and annuities. "What drew me to Bestow was simple: an exceptional team, a category-defining platform, and one of the biggest untapped opportunities in financial services." Ward said. "I'm thrilled to join and can't wait to see what we build together." Track Dallas-Fort Worth's business and innovation landscape with its curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday. One quick signup, and you're done. Share via:

Bestow, an insurance technology platform, has appointed Meagan Ward as chief marketing officer. Ward will lead brand building and showcase the company's innovation capabilities as life insurers modernise and scale. Ward brings over 15 years of experience building brands at the intersection of AI and SaaS. She previously served as CMO at Addepar, the wealth and asset management platform valued at over $3 billion, where she scaled marketing and communications functions across multiple growth stages. In her new role, Ward will oversee all marketing and communications, focusing on establishing Bestow as the leading platform for life insurance and annuities. The appointment follows Bestow's $120 million Series D funding round in 2025, led by Goldman Sachs and Smith Point Capital.

Bestow Names Former Accenture exec as Its New Chief Revenue Officer. Cindy DeArmond is frequently sought after by Fortune 500 companies and industry associations for her expertise in digital transformation, emerging technology, data analytics, and AI/GenAI strategy, the Dallas-based insurance tech platform said. Bestow Chief Revenue Officer Cindy DeArmon [Photo: Cindy DeArmon] Former Accenture executive Cindy De Armond has been appointed chief revenue officer of Dallas-based insurance technology platform Bestow. "Cindy brings exceptional experience driving transformation across every major function of insurance," Bestow Co-Founder and CEO Melbourne O'Banion said in a statement. "Her leadership will be instrumental as we continue to scale our new and existing partnerships and deliver exceptional outcomes for carriers modernizing their product portfolio and operations." Bestow said that DeArmond's appointment reinforces its commitment to accelerating growth and digital transformation across the life insurance industry. DeArmond comes to Bestow from Accenture, where she worked for 12 years and most recently served as senior managing director and insurance industry lead for technology in North America. Bestow said that over her 39-year career, DeArmond has held senior roles at IBM, Zurich, and West Monroe Partners, leading large-scale transformation initiatives for some of the world's most recognized insurance and financial services organizations. She joins Bestow on the heels of a $120M Series D funding round for Bestow. Bestow said that DeArmond is frequently sought after by Fortune 500 companies and industry associations for her expertise in digital transformation, emerging technology, data analytics, and AI/GenAI strategy. DeArmond has partnered with C-suite executives and boards to transform core operations across distribution, underwriting, policy administration, claims, and pricing, modernizing technology platforms and driving substantial value creation. Bestow said its solutions empower insurers to achieve growth and profitability at unparalleled speed. In May, the company closed a $120 million oversubscribed Series D funding round co-led by Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives and Smith Point Capital. The round included a $50 million credit facility from TriplePoint Capital. Track Dallas-Fort Worth's business and innovation landscape with its curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday. R E A D N E X T. * Omni Hotels & Resorts Appoints New Chief Revenue Officer Industry veteran Adam Hayashi was appointed chief revenue officer of Dallas-based Omni Hotels & Resorts, the company announced in April. He will be responsible for helping the company achieve strategic goals related to maximizing topline revenue performance and capturing greater market share. Hayashi will report directly to Chief Commercial Officer Jeff Doane. "I'm excited to welcome Adam to the Omni family and look forward to the innovation that he will bring to the team," Doane said in a statement. "I have had the opportunity to work with Adam in the past and know his breadth of experience will contribute to... * Colossal Biosciences Names Australian De-Extinction Scientist as Its Chief Biology Officer Andrew Pask is known for his expertise in de-extinction science, developmental genetics, and conservation technologies. He leads the Thylacine Integrated Genomic Restoration Research Lab (TIGGR) at the University of Melbourne in Australia. * ATM Manufacturer Hyosung America Names New Chief Revenue Officer Previously senior vice president of sales, Chris King, a 35-year industry veteran, is charged with accelerating growth in the financial and retail tech sectors. * Motivus Appoints New CFO/Chief Operations Officer and Chief Sales Officer Motivus, a global technology, data and AI consulting firm with an office in Irving, announced earlier this month that it added two executives to its leadership team as the company pursues new markets and ambitious growth. Kevin Walmsley was named chief financial and operations officer, and Navneet Narula became chief sales officer. Motivus said both bring decades of experience to help advance its strategic vision and deliver digital innovation for clients. The company, which rebranded from AgileThought in October 2024, says the new identity reflects its shift toward higher-value offerings in software development and technology consulting. The new hires come... * Magellan Health Promotes Chief Medical Officer to CEO Post Caroline Carney, a board-certified internist and board-certified psychiatrist, has held key clinical leadership positions serving complex populations over the span of her career, including a post as medical director for the Indiana Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning.