Clipp, an app which allow Aussies to pay for food and drinks using their smartphone, has appointed former Microsoft executive, Todd Forest, as its new CEO.

Clipp has experienced growth in 2014 by signing over 200 venues in less than six months, boosting the Sydney-based startup’s portfolio to 270 venues around Australia.

Forest brings more than 16 years of digital experience with global brands in the USA, Asia and Australia.

He joins Clipp with the aim of scaling the business and exploring revenue raising opportunities through future capital rounds.

Forest worked with Nike as a product manager before joining AOL in the US, as VP of its media networks where he managed Netscape.com and AIM. In 2006, Forest joined innovative job site, Jobfox as CMO.

After moving to Australia, Forest became the director of content and audience experience at nineMSN. He managed MSN across the APAC region including ANZ, Korea, and SE Asia and was responsible for launching the Bing Apps with more than 50 media partnerships.

Forest also has a minority stake in Clipp.

Greg Taylor, co-founder of Clipp, will continue in his role as chairman and focus on strategic partnerships for the company.

Forest said, Clipp is at the forefront of the industry in Australia, proven by the rapid uptake of our proprietary technology in the last six months alone.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be appointed the CEO of Clipp. I look forward to working with Greg and the rest of the Clipp team to cement our position as Australia’s go to mobile payments solution.

“2014 has been an incredible year for Clipp and we’re looking to continue that momentum right through to next year with some product updates and other big news which I can’t wait to share with you all.”

Clipp has been announced as one of the companies that will be presenting at the sixth annual Tech23 Conference.