Airbnb Replaces Business Chief With Ex-Tripadvisor, Booking Exec
Airbnb Inc. has replaced its chief business officer with a former executive of Tripadvisor Inc. and Booking Holdings Inc., underscoring its efforts to expand beyond home-sharing into new travel segments.
Pepijn Rijvers is succeeding Dave Stephenson in overseeing several business areas. In addition to short-term rentals, he will manage enterprise operations, global markets and the company’s growing hotels offering, Airbnb said Tuesday. Stephenson “will remain closely involved through the end of the year to support the transition,” the company said in a statement.
At Tripadvisor, Rijvers held a similar title overseeing the firm’s consumer businesses and was previously president of Viator. Before that, he spent more than a decade at Booking.com, including as chief marketing officer as well as a managing director overseeing its accommodation business.
In his email to staff, Chesky lauded Rijvers as a “true entrepreneur” who “stays close to the team at all levels and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.”
By Natalie Lung