Airbnb Signals Big Changes With the Appointment of American Express CEO to Its Board
Skift Take
In short, Airbnb’s message is: “We’re not an Uber, guys. And we haven’t forgotten about the people who made us a $31 billion company.”
Airbnb has appointed retiring American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault to its board, signaling major changes for the company, including a potential rollout of a loyalty program and its commitment to an eventual initial public offering.
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky announced Chenault's appointment as part of an open letter in which he conveyed his vision to transform Airbnb into a “21st century company,” including plans to make improvements to its service.
That scenario calls for “empower[ing] a host-led world with some substantial improvements to our service that set us up for an infinite time horizon," Chesky wrote.
In other words, Airbnb is not an Uber; it sees itself as caring about its community and the people who built its business. With the appointment of outgoing American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault as its first independent director, Airbnb — like Facebook, which also recently appointed Chenault to its board — is making a major statement about its valuation and its
