Mason’s CEO and President Swap Roles Ahead of Next Growth Phase

Mason, which is creating managed infrastructure for developing and delivering dedicated smart devices, has revealed that CEO Jim Xiao will step aside and allow the company’s President, Nancy Xiao, to take the reins.

However, Jim won’t be done with the company he founded in 2016, as he will take over the role of President. The atypical move will give him the power to focus on the company’s long term growth as he will now lead business development and strategy.

Nancy, on the other hand, will take over the company’s day-to-day operations.

“I’m confident that Nancy is the right person to build on Mason’s momentum,” Jim stated. “Nancy has been a close advisor from the company’s YCombinator days, onwards. We’ve partnered since she came onboard in 2019 to help scale Mason, bringing us to our current stage.”

Before her career at Mason, Nancy was a product development leader in Facebook’s Oculus unit, where she focused on the company’s Oculus Home product (a personal 3D home space Oculus users can customize). She initially joined the tech giant in 2013 after the startup she worked for at the time, called Parse, was acquired by Facebook for $85 million.

“I’m honored to lead Mason’s next chapter, in ongoing collaboration with our Board and leadership team, building on Mason’s success and manifesting the opportunities ahead for our customers, partners and team,” Nancy stated. “We’ve not only rethought the way that hardware development is done, revolutionizing traditional industries, but now also defied the status quo of how businesses are led. We’ve built a platform that brings incredible products to life that make a tangible impact on humanity in various industries from healthcare to government.”

She added that she will double down on Mason’s commitment to inclusivity and investing in leaders and team members from diverse demographics across all levels of the company. Since she joined the company in 2019 she led hiring initiatives that grew representation of Mason’s female employees from just 10% in 2019 to over 40% in 2021.