Pelican AI taps payments and alliances leaders Maria Papas and Doug Drummond to expand sales and partnerships

Pelican AI said on Tuesday it has appointed Maria Papas, a former Mastercard and Interac executive, and Doug Drummond, an alliances leader, to roles focused on driving sales and expanding partnerships. The moves are intended to support the company’s broader commercialization push, according to the announcement.

The company, which trades on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the ticker PEL, framed the hires as delivery on a strategy it outlined earlier this year during a September investor webinar. In that webinar, Pelican AI described efforts to scale go-to-market activities and build additional partner relationships, and the latest leadership changes are positioned as part of that plan.

In the appointment of Papas, Pelican AI highlighted her experience in payments and related industry networks gained through her prior roles at Mastercard and Interac. The company did not provide additional detail in the release about her specific responsibilities beyond the overall aim of strengthening sales effectiveness and accelerating partnership growth.

Pelican AI also named Doug Drummond, describing him as an alliances leader. The company said his background is expected to help broaden its ecosystem of partners, though it did not disclose which specific categories of partners are a priority, nor the expected timing of any new partner launches.

Pelican AI’s emphasis on partnerships comes at a time when many AI product companies are relying on distribution relationships to reach enterprise and regulated customers. For Pelican AI, partnerships can serve as an alternative route to market, potentially reducing the need to build every sales channel in-house, especially where payments, identity, or risk considerations require established industry relationships.

Still, key details were not disclosed in the announcement. Pelican AI did not specify the exact titles of the new hires in the release text provided, nor did it outline compensation terms, start dates, or performance targets. The company also did not quantify how the hires are expected to affect revenue, customer acquisition, or partner pipeline over the next quarter(s).

Investors will likely look next for evidence that the leadership changes translate into measurable commercial progress, such as new partner announcements, expanded customer deployments, or updated guidance tied to the September strategy. Pelican AI may also clarify whether these roles will operate as standalone commercial functions or integrate into existing go-to-market teams as it scales.