Preply Strengthens Leadership Team with Key Hires
News related to:Preply · 1 min read
NEW YORK, Oct. 14, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Preply, the global leader in language learning, has bolstered its U.S. leadership team with two key appointments aimed at driving the company's next phase of global growth. The appointments come as Preply continues to expand its reach, connecting learners in 180 countries with over 150,000 tutors who teach more than 90 languages.
Lillian Reaume, who previously served as Chief People Officer at Stitch Fix and Rubrik, has joined Preply as Chief People Officer. In her new role, Reaume will lead Preply’s global people organization, focusing on building high-performing teams and implementing best practices to support the company’s continued growth.
Bilal Zia, with two decades of experience in data science and analytics, has been appointed as Vice President of Data Science and Analytics. Zia comes from Duolingo, where he designed the company’s data science operating model and scaled real-time machine learning personalization across the product. His expertise will be crucial as Preply seeks to leverage data to enhance the learning experience and drive business transformation.
Reaume’s background includes roles at Amazon, where she was Head of HR for the Alexa organization and managed several of AWS’s largest technology organizations. At Rubrik, she helped scale the cybersecurity company and build infrastructure that supported its growth and public listing.
Zia’s career highlights include his time at the World Bank, where he worked on experimentation, causal inference, and economic research informing education and financial policy across emerging markets.
Preply, which announced a $1.2 billion valuation following a $150M Series D round led by WestCap, is well-positioned to continue its rapid expansion. The company connects learners in 180 countries with over 150,000 tutors teaching over 90 languages, making it the largest online marketplace and app for language learning. With these new hires, Preply aims to further enhance its global presence and deliver personalized learning experiences that are tailored to the needs of its diverse user base.