Move Inc., the owner of realtor.com, has hired Chung Meng Cheong as its new chief product officer to “accelerate product development” and improve realtor.com’s user experience.
He will fill the shoes of Tapan Bhat, who joined Move in late 2015 but left for NerdWallet in November, said Move spokeswoman Janice McDill.
Cheong joins Move from investment guidance provider Financial Engines, where he served as executive vice president of product management and consumer marketing.
Chung Meng Cheong
During Cheong’s tenure there, he “transformed the company’s product strategy and user experience, reaccelerating revenue growth and doubling product usage,” according to Move.
“Chung is a seasoned leader with deep product expertise and a strong record of creating great consumer experiences that drive growth,” said Move CEO Ryan O’Hara in a statement. “Most importantly, he shares our belief that technology can play an invaluable role in helping to simplify the homebuying journey.”
Move said Cheong’s arrival comes “on the heels of unprecedented growth and momentum at realtor.com with brand awareness, user growth and engagement at all-time highs.”
News Corp. has breathed new life into realtor.com since purchasing Move in late 2014.
The company overhauled its listing ad product in November and has unveiled a bevy of 3-D and virtual reality features since then, such as 3-D home tour integration for its iOS mobile app.
Cheong’s predecessor, Tapan Bhat, joined Move in August 2015, telling Inman the following year that he had seen “tons of opportunities for improvement” at the listing portal, including the chance to focus more attention on serving brokers.
Cheong said in a statement that he looked forward to building “on the innovative work taking place” at realtor.com.
Cheong has served in roles at The Boston Consulting Group, eBay, 33 Across Inc. and YP Holdings (formerly AT&T Interactive). He holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Auckland and an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
