Tech Moves: Former Expedia CTO joins Varo Bank; Point B gets CEO; and more

— Rathi Murthy, former chief technology officer for Expedia, is now CTO for Varo Bank, a digital financial institution based in San Francisco.

Murthy was previously a CTO at Verizon Media, and held executive roles at Gap, American Express, eBay, and Yahoo.

“I’ve been deeply inspired by Varo’s mission to make financial inclusion and opportunity a reality for all — empowering everyone with the tools to move their lives forward,” Murthy said on LinkedIn.

Murthy was at Expedia for three years, helping the Seattle-based travel juggernaut integrate AI into its platform.

She left Expedia last year in May, due to what the company described as a “violation of company policy.” Sreenivas Rachamadugu, a senior vice president in engineering, was dismissed at the same time.

Murthy defended her performance, saying in a statement to GeekWire at the time: “Throughout my career, I’ve conducted myself with a commitment to the highest level of integrity.”

— Jordan Selig left her role as executive vice president of Seattle’s Martin Selig Real Estate. Selig’s father launched the prominent firm in 1958. The business once claimed to own one-third of the city’s downtown offices, but has struggled since the COVID pandemic drew tenants out of downtown.

Martin Selig Real Estate has seven properties in receivership that are being operated by a third-party management company, according to the Seattle Times. Last week it laid off 86 workers.

“As I turn the page to my next chapter, I’m excited to pursue a long-held vision at the intersection of real estate and technology — reimagining how urban environments evolve and how innovation can play a role in shaping more sustainable, adaptive cities,” Selig said on LinkedIn.

— Point B, a Seattle-based tech consulting firm, appointed David Hanfland as its new CEO. Hanfland was previously at global consulting firm Kearney for more than 32 years, most recently as global vice-chair of strategy and corporate development.

Hanfland said on LinkedIn that he looks forward to working on Point B’s tech-enabled offerings, and that the company’s “commitment to combining industry expertise with cutting-edge technology is unmatched.”

— Seattle cannabis software company Leafly said Alan Pickerill resigned from its board, according to a regulatory filing.

— Nordstrom said Randy Kanai has taken the title of interim chief accounting officer, according to a new regulatory filing. He has been serving in the role of VP controller. Kanai joined the Seattle apparel company in 2001, beginning as an accountant.

— Microsoft AI added Yuki Zhu to its team as a principal product manager. Zhu joins the company from Instacart, and previously worked at Uber and Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

— Brianna McDonald, a longtime Seattle startup and investing vet, is CEO of Ecosystem Venture Group, a new investment organization backing early stage companies that describes itself as a bridge between traditional VC and private equity.

— After nearly three decades at Wizards of the Coast, Christopher Perkins is retiring from the Renton, Wash.-based company behind “Dungeons & Dragons,” “Magic The Gathering,” and other games.

Perkins’ career included writing a blog that include tips on “dungeon mastering,” and roles as Wizards’ game design architect and creative director.

“With D&D’s 50th anniversary wrapping up and the revised rulebooks doing gangbusters, this is the perfect fairytale ending for me,” he said on Bluesky. “I can’t wait to enjoy D&D purely as a fan again, knowing the game is in good hands. See you in the Feywild!”

— Former Google and Dropbox legal counsel Amy Pitelka launched Deer Harbor Group, a Seattle real estate development effort focused on creating “sustainable, well-designed middle housing in Seattle,” she said on LinkedIn. The vision is to take underutilized lots and homes, and convert them into denser, environmentally friendly housing that can include renovations and accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

She is also the managing partner of the Barker Pitelka law and policy practice, and was a legal consultant for Executive Office of the President for President Biden.