Cardata Taps Growth Architect Winnie Chen to Steer Expansion

BOSTON, MA – January 02, 2026 – Cardata, a leading provider of vehicle reimbursement solutions, has announced the appointment of Winnie Chen as its new Vice President of Growth. The strategic hire signals an aggressive push to scale operations and solidify market leadership, leveraging the momentum from a recent period of substantial financial and operational growth.

Chen, a veteran of high-growth B2B technology firms, will lead the company’s comprehensive growth strategy, overseeing marketing, demand generation, and go-to-market initiatives. Her appointment comes as businesses increasingly seek sophisticated, data-driven solutions to manage their mobile workforces.

A Strategic Move in a "Powerful Moment of Growth"

The move is far more than a routine executive placement; it is a calculated step in Cardata's long-term expansion plan. The company has been on a remarkable trajectory, having tripled its annual recurring revenue over the last three years. This surge was bolstered by a pivotal $100 million Series D funding round in late 2023, led by Wavecrest Growth Partners. The capital injection was earmarked for product acceleration and scaling support for its rapidly expanding customer base.

Chen's arrival is intended to harness this momentum and convert it into sustained market dominance. Cardata CEO Haywood Marsh emphasized the strategic nature of the hire in the company's announcement. “Winnie brings a rare combination of strategic growth leadership and hands-on execution,” Marsh stated. “She has built and scaled high-performing teams at pivotal moments of growth, and her experience will be instrumental as we continue to expand our platform, deepen our market presence, and deliver more value to our customers.”

This focus on execution is critical as Cardata navigates a competitive landscape that includes established players like Motus, Everlance, and MileIQ. By bringing in a leader with a proven playbook for scaling, Cardata is signaling its intent to not just compete, but to lead the next phase of innovation in the sector.

The Architect of Scale Joins the Team

Winnie Chen’s professional history is a testament to her reputation as an architect of scale. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Marketing at Rose Rocket, an AI-native SaaS platform for the trucking and logistics industry. During her tenure, she was instrumental in guiding the company from its early seed stage through a successful $38 million USD Series B funding round in mid-2023, a period that saw the company's freight network grow an astounding 47-fold.

Her experience extends across the tech landscape, with prior marketing roles at notable companies like LinkedIn, the consumer rewards app Flipp, and the AI-powered scheduling tool Zoom.ai. This diverse background has equipped her with a deep understanding of how to bring emerging technologies to market and drive growth at various stages of a company’s lifecycle.

Chen’s decision to join Cardata serves as a strong external validation of the company's position and potential. “When I join a company, I look for a real market opportunity, strong product-market fit, and a standout team. Cardata has all three,” Chen commented on her appointment. “I’m energized to join at such a powerful moment of growth. With strong tailwinds and an exceptional team, we’re well-positioned to win and deliver Cardata’s solutions to the organizations that need them most.”

Navigating the Tailwinds of Modern Workforce Mobility

The "strong tailwinds" Chen referred to are reshaping the modern workplace. The post-pandemic normalization of remote and hybrid work models, coupled with the expansion of the gig economy, has created a complex environment for businesses managing employees who use personal vehicles for work. Simple car allowances or manual mileage logs are no longer sufficient, creating significant demand for specialized solutions.

Companies now face mounting pressure to implement reimbursement programs that are not only cost-effective but also fully compliant with IRS accountable plan rules to ensure tax-free payments for employees and deductions for the business. This is where Cardata has carved out its niche, offering programs like Fixed and Variable Rate (FAVR), Tax-Free Car Allowance (TFCA), and Cents Per Mile (CPM). These solutions go beyond basic tracking to address critical business needs, including cost control, risk mitigation through driver insurance and license verification, and enhanced employee experience.

The market is also being driven by technological advancements. The integration of AI, advanced telematics, and data analytics is transforming fleet and mobile workforce management from a logistical function into a strategic one. Businesses are seeking platforms that provide actionable insights, automate administrative burdens, and integrate seamlessly with existing financial systems.

Fueling Growth with Product Innovation

Cardata's strategy appears to be squarely focused on meeting this demand for sophisticated, data-driven tools. The company’s recent product roadmap reflects a commitment to moving beyond simple reimbursement. A prime example is the launch of Cardata Intelligence in mid-2025. This analytics platform was designed to replace cumbersome spreadsheets, offering customizable dashboards, smart alerts for cost spikes, and automated reporting.

A key feature of the platform is "Otto," a natural-language assistant powered by a large language model that allows HR and finance managers to query their program data using plain English. The company estimates this tool can reduce manual administrative tasks and improve time-to-insight by as much as 70%. This level of innovation, combined with its core mobile app for GPS mileage capture and a cloud portal for centralized administration, forms the technological foundation Chen's growth engine will be built upon.

With a seasoned growth leader at the helm, a war chest of funding, and a product suite tailored for the complexities of the modern mobile workforce, Cardata is positioning itself to capture a significant share of a rapidly evolving market. The hiring of Winnie Chen is a clear declaration that the company is ready to shift from a phase of rapid growth to one of strategic, accelerated expansion.