Shipt has appointed Raj Kapoor as its next chief executive officer, with the leadership change taking effect Oct. 18. Kapoor previously served as Shipt’s chief operating officer before joining Target, while current CEO Kamau Witherspoon is departing after more than four years leading the company.
Key Takeaways
- Raj Kapoor will become Shipt’s chief executive officer on Oct. 18.
- Kapoor previously served as Shipt’s chief operating officer from 2022 to 2025.
- Kamau Witherspoon is leaving the CEO position after more than four years.
- Kapoor most recently served as senior vice president of marketplace at Target.
- Witherspoon will remain in his role through late October to support the transition.
Shipt Appoints Raj Kapoor as Chief Executive Officer
Kapoor will return to Shipt as CEO after serving as the company’s chief operating officer from 2022 to 2025. Shipt announced the appointment Oct. 7, with Kapoor scheduled to assume the CEO role on Oct. 18.
The appointment places a former senior Shipt operator back at the company’s top executive position. During his previous tenure, Kapoor oversaw day-to-day operations and worked across the company’s relationships with customers, shoppers, drivers and retail partners.
Kapoor’s return follows a leadership period under Witherspoon that lasted more than four years. Witherspoon will remain with Shipt through late October to support the transition before leaving the company.
Shipt operates as an independently operated subsidiary of Target. The company provides same-day delivery services and also operates Target Last Mile Delivery, which supports next-day parcel delivery for Target guests.
The change gives Shipt an incoming CEO with previous experience inside the company’s operating organization. Similar transitions have recently placed executives with operational backgrounds into top leadership roles, including planned CEO succession at WM and other large U.S. businesses.
Kapoor Returns With Previous Shipt Operating Experience
Kapoor joined Shipt’s leadership team as chief operating officer in 2022 and remained in that position through 2025. His responsibilities included the company’s operating activities and fulfillment capabilities.
During his time as COO, Kapoor worked on the company’s fulfillment engine and service operations. Shipt said he helped scale those capabilities and improve quality and service across the platform.
His previous role also gave him direct experience with the company’s operating relationships. Shipt’s platform connects customers with retailers through its delivery service, while shoppers and drivers support order fulfillment.
Kapoor is returning to the company after spending the period since 2025 at Target. His previous Shipt responsibilities therefore preceded his most recent work within the same corporate structure.
The CEO appointment keeps that experience within the organization while moving Kapoor from an operating role to overall executive leadership. His prior responsibilities provide direct familiarity with Shipt’s operations and business model.
Kapoor’s Previous Shipt Responsibilities
As COO, Kapoor was responsible for day-to-day operations and worked on fulfillment capabilities serving customers, shoppers, drivers and retailers. Shipt said he helped scale the company’s fulfillment engine and improve quality and service.
Kapoor also worked in leadership roles outside Shipt before and after his time at the company. His professional background includes roles at Lyft and SquareTrade, according to Shipt’s announcement.
Kamau Witherspoon Prepares to Leave the CEO Role
Witherspoon became Shipt’s CEO more than four years ago and will leave the role as Kapoor takes over. He has worked across the Target enterprise for more than 15 years.
During his tenure at Shipt, Witherspoon led changes to the company’s delivery offerings. Shipt said the company expanded its same-day and next-day delivery services during his leadership.
The company also integrated its marketplace as a benefit within Target Circle 360, Target’s loyalty program. Shipt also invested in features including Preferred Shopper during Witherspoon’s tenure.
Witherspoon will remain in his position through late October even though Kapoor is scheduled to become CEO on Oct. 18. The overlap is intended to support the leadership handoff between the outgoing and incoming executives.
Witherspoon said he had worked alongside Kapoor and expressed confidence in Kapoor’s familiarity with the company and its team. He also credited Shipt’s technology and operating capabilities developed during his tenure.
The transition therefore involves a defined handoff rather than an immediate departure on the date Kapoor assumes the CEO position. Witherspoon’s continued involvement through late October provides additional time for the change in executive leadership.
Kapoor Brings Target Marketplace Experience to Shipt
Before returning to Shipt, Kapoor served as senior vice president of marketplace at Target beginning in 2025. His work there included responsibilities involving Target Plus, Target’s marketplace business.
Shipt said Kapoor worked on growth, assortment expansion and customer and partner experiences at Target Plus. That role followed his three years as Shipt’s COO.
The Target experience adds a second part to Kapoor’s executive background at the time of his appointment. He has worked within Shipt’s delivery operations and subsequently held a senior marketplace role at its parent company.
Target acquired Shipt in 2017, and Shipt now operates as an independently operated subsidiary of Target. The companies remain connected through Shipt’s delivery services and Target Last Mile Delivery operations.
Kapoor said his priorities as CEO include improving convenience for customers, supporting shoppers and drivers, working with Target and other partners, and strengthening business performance across Shipt’s offerings.
His appointment therefore brings together experience from both sides of the relationship: direct leadership within Shipt and more recent marketplace responsibilities at Target.
The combination of operating and marketplace experience is also relevant to other retail leadership changes. Retail CEO transitions and operating strategy have recently included executives moving from specialized senior roles into broader company leadership.
Leadership Transition Takes Effect in October
Kapoor’s appointment becomes effective Oct. 18, while Witherspoon will remain in his role through late October. Shipt’s headquarters is in Birmingham, Alabama, and the company also has hubs in San Francisco and Minneapolis.
Kapoor will be based in the San Francisco Bay Area and is expected to travel regularly to Birmingham and Minneapolis as part of his role leading Shipt.
Shipt operates two core fulfillment offerings. Its same-day delivery service connects members with more than 120 retailers, while Target Last Mile Delivery supports next-day parcel delivery for Target guests.
The company said its same-day delivery service is available to 80% of the U.S. population. Shipt also operates annual memberships that provide access to same-day delivery and other member benefits.
The leadership transition comes with Kapoor moving from his recent marketplace position at Target back into the company where he previously served as COO. His CEO appointment gives him responsibility for Shipt’s overall operations, strategy and performance after having previously managed its operating functions.
Shipt’s announcement also identified Sarah Travis, Shipt’s board chair and Target’s chief digital and revenue officer, as part of the company’s leadership oversight. Travis said Kapoor brings commercial and operating experience to the CEO role.
Kapoor’s scheduled start date and Witherspoon’s planned departure create a defined timeline for the Shipt leadership transition. The change places an executive with prior company operating experience at the top of the organization while maintaining a short transition period with the outgoing CEO.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the new Shipt CEO?
Raj Kapoor is the incoming Shipt CEO. He previously served as Shipt’s chief operating officer from 2022 to 2025 before becoming senior vice president of marketplace at Target.
When will Raj Kapoor become Shipt CEO?
Kapoor is scheduled to become Shipt’s CEO on Oct. 18, 2026. Kamau Witherspoon will remain in his role through late October to support the transition.
Who did Raj Kapoor succeed as Shipt CEO?
Kapoor will succeed Kamau Witherspoon, who has served as Shipt’s CEO for more than four years. Witherspoon is leaving the company after more than 15 years across the Target enterprise.
What was Raj Kapoor’s previous role at Shipt?
Kapoor served as Shipt’s chief operating officer from 2022 to 2025. He was responsible for day-to-day operations and worked on the company’s fulfillment capabilities and service operations.
How long did Kamau Witherspoon serve as Shipt CEO?
Witherspoon served as Shipt CEO for more than four years. During his tenure, the company expanded its same-day and next-day delivery offerings and integrated its marketplace into the Target Circle 360 loyalty program.
