Natalie Massenet has abruptly resigned from Net-a-Porter, leaving the high-end fashion e-commerce ahead of its pending merger with Italian rival Yoox.

Massenet, who founded Net-a-Porter 15 years ago, was appointed chairman of the merged company, Yoox Net-a-Porter Group but she won’t be on board any longer. In fact, the founder of Net-a-Porter leaves with over £100 million ($153 million) after selling her shares in Net-a-Porter. Yoox agreed to buy Net-a-Porter from Richemont in March. The all-stock deal, which is expected to close this month, will create the world’s largest online luxury-goods retailer. Yoox founder Federico Marchetti will be the platforms chief executive officer.

“After 15 extraordinary and exceptional years at the Net-a-Porter Group, the completion of the merger with Yoox Group is the right time for me to move on to explore new ideas and opportunities,” Massenet said in an official statement. Born in Los Angeles, Massenet worked as a model in Japan before starting her career as a journalist at Women’s Wear Daily and Tatler. Massenet has founded Net-a-Porter in 2000 and has been continuously expanding the retail platform’s portfolio ever since, by adding further websites to her online fashion retail imperium, including the The Outnet.com, a fashion outlet, and MrPorter.com, one of the first international website for menswear.

Picture courtesy of Yoox Net-a-Porter Group.