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H&R Block Announces Additions to Senior Leadership Team

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H&R Block(HRB - Free Report) yesterday announced appointments to two major positions in its senior leadership team.

Julius Lai has joined the company as chief product and experience officer while Les Whiting joined as the chief financial services officer. Both will be reporting directly to Jeff Jones, president and chief executive officer of the company.

In his new role, Lai will be handling all marketing functions along with reimagining client engagement with a digital-first, multi-channel focus. Whiting will be monitoring the development of financial products to lessen the financial burden.

Lai has operated at the intersections of marketing, technology, process, and people, creating enhanced customer experiences for global travel and entertainment companies such as Activision, Expedia, and Marriott International. He served as the senior vice president of digital and loyalty marketing at AMC Theatres. He has been a former captain in the U.S. Air Force.

Whiting was in charge of financial strategy at the company’s subsidiary, Wave Financial. Recently, he helped Wave Financial transform itself from a software startup to a fintech disruptor, and continues to direct its risk, anti-fraud, and regulatory compliance. He is also an active early-stage investor and advisor to emerging fintech and payment startups in North America.

Considering the work expertise achieved by both Lai and Whiting in their careers so far, the latest appointments are expected to strengthen H&R Block’s business operations.

Notably, Jones stated “They will help us grow the business by prioritizing small business clients, delivering new financial products, and reimagining the tax prep experience.”

Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider

H&R Block currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the broader Zacks Business Services sector are IQVIA Holdings (IQV - Free Report) , ICF International (ICFI - Free Report) and CoreLogic , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The long-term expected-earnings per share (three to five years) growth rate for IQVIA Holdings, ICF International and CoreLogic is 9.8%, 10% and 12%, respectively.

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