# Shan-Lyn Ma

> Shan-Lyn Ma is the Australian entrepreneur, co-founder and co-CEO of Zola, the New York wedding planning and registry business launched in 2013. A former product leader at Yahoo, Gilt Groupe and Chloe + Isabel, she built Zola around frustrations she encountered as a wedding guest and heard from couples. She shares the CEO role with Rachel Jarrett and also invests in early-stage businesses.

- **Role:** Co-founder and co-CEO at Zola
- **Organizations:** Zola, Gilt Groupe, Yahoo, Chloe + Isabel
- **From:** Singapore, Singapore
- **Nationality:** Australian
- **Education:** Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing, First Class Honours, University of New South Wales, MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business
- **Known for:** Co-founded Zola in 2013 and expanded it from wedding registries into planning tools and baby registries., Zola had served more than two million couples by 2024., Named to Inc.’s 2019 Female Founders 100.

## Career timeline

- **2004** — Moved to the United States to pursue an MBA at Stanford.
- **2006** — Completed her Stanford MBA and joined Yahoo full-time after an internship.
- **2008** — Moved to New York and joined Gilt Groupe as its first product lead.
- **Before 2013** — Created and led Gilt Taste, then served as chief product officer at Chloe + Isabel.
- **2013** — Co-founded Zola and launched its wedding registry.
- **2017** — Zola introduced free wedding planning tools, including wedding websites and guest management.
- **2018** — Zola raised a $100 million Series D in May.
- **2022** — Began sharing the CEO role with Rachel Jarrett.
- **2024** — Discussed Zola’s service to more than two million couples on Masters of Scale.
- **2026** — Acknowledged her inclusion in Business Insider’s Seed 100.

## Achievements

- Co-founded Zola in 2013 and expanded it from wedding registries into planning tools and baby registries.
- Zola had served more than two million couples by 2024.
- Named to Inc.’s 2019 Female Founders 100.
- Led Gilt Groupe product launches across web and mobile and created its Gilt Taste food and wine business.
- Included in Business Insider’s 2026 Seed 100, which she acknowledged publicly on LinkedIn.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — Zola’s 2026 First Look Report was updated October 16, drawing on more than 11,500 couples and examining Gen Z, social platforms and AI in wedding planning.
- **2026-05** — Included in Business Insider’s Seed 100; Ma acknowledged the recognition in a public LinkedIn post.

## Links

- Website: https://www.zola.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanlynma
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/shanlynm
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shanlynm/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/shan-lyn-ma
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-24