Airbnb Appoints Ron Klain, Former White House Chief of Staff, as Chief Legal Officer
(IN SHORT) Airbnb has announced the appointment of Ron Klain as its chief legal officer. Ron Klain, known for his extensive experience in government and business, including serving as White House chief of staff during President Biden’s early years in office, will join Airbnb starting on January 1, 2024. Klain brings a wealth of knowledge and legal expertise from both the public and private sectors. In addition to his government roles, he has represented technology and marketplace businesses in complex litigation during his tenure at O’Melveny & Myers and served as chief legal officer at Revolution, a venture capital firm. Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky expressed excitement about Klain’s strategic thinking, operational skills, and judgment, stating that Klain is a valuable addition to the team. Klain, a graduate of Georgetown University and Harvard Law School, looks forward to contributing to Airbnb’s mission of fostering cultural understanding through travel.
(PRESS RELEASE) San Francisco, CA, 2023-Nov-21 — /Travel PR News/ — Airbnb announced that Ron Klain will join the company as chief legal officer.
Ron is a distinguished leader with more than four decades of experience across government and business, best known for his role as White House chief of staff during President Biden’s first two years in office. Previously, Ron was chief of staff to then-Vice President Biden and to Vice President Al Gore at just 34 years old, making him the youngest chief of staff to a vice president in American history.
“Ron is both a big-picture strategic thinker and a highly skilled operator, and I’m thrilled he’ll be a close advisor,” said Airbnb co-founder and CEO, Brian Chesky. “People have described Ron as one of the smartest people they’ve ever met, but more than his intelligence, he’s known for his excellent judgment and his big heart. Ron is the perfect addition to our team.”
In addition to his notable career in government, Ron brings significant private-sector legal experience to Airbnb. During his tenure as a partner at O’Melveny & Myers he represented numerous technology and marketplace businesses in complex litigation. He also served as chief legal officer at Revolution, the venture capital firm started by AOL founder Steve Case.
“I have always believed that travel is such an important part of creating connection and cultural understanding, and I am honored to join Airbnb to further this important work. Airbnb has accomplished so much already, and I’m especially inspired by Brian’s vision for the company’s next chapter,” said Ron Klain, Airbnb’s incoming chief legal officer. “I was proud to rejoin O’Melveny & Myers earlier this year and work with outstanding colleagues and clients, and I had planned to finish my career there, but the opportunity to work for Brian and join his incredible executive team was impossible to pass up.”
Klain is a graduate of Georgetown University and Harvard Law School. He will start at Airbnb on January 1, 2024, and will report to Airbnb CEO & co-founder, Brian Chesky.
About Airbnb
Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 4 million Hosts who have welcomed over 1.5 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, Hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.
Media Contact:
contact.press@airbnb.com.
Source: Airbnb
###