Sales-and-use tax vendor Avalara has hired Danny Fields, an Oracle veteran, as EVP of engineering and chief technology officer. He succeeds Peter Harodon, who left the Seattle, Wash.-based company in January

Crowe has named Justin Bass as the accounting firm's first chief data science officer. The Chicago-based accounting firm (known as Crowe Horwarth until this week) also created a  data science business unit, which employs more than 20 data scientists.

Xero has moved into Canada as it continues its expansion in the English-speaking world. Xero officially launched in the country this month with roadshows in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary. It also named its first South Africa country manager.