Bangladesh, March 25 -- The CEO of BetterUp Inc. said Wednesday that he hired Prince Harry as an executive because of his tenacious advocacy for the kind of mental health services that his firm provides, and the publicity brought by the move is merely a perk.

Chief Executive Alexi Robichaux spoke to The Associated Press a day after the announcement that the Duke of Sussex will play the specially created role of chief impact officer at the San Francisco-based BetterUp, which sells companies employee coaching and mental health help.

"Prince Harry has been one of the the the fiercest advocates for mental wellness or mental fitness for many years," Robichaux said, citing Harry's work for organizations like Head Fit, a service he launched in...